Photo by Emma Delk Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blaizer explains the features of the Safe Haven Baby Box to interested members of the public following Wednesday’s christening.

WHEELING — A life-saving device for infants that mothers can anonymously surrender their newborns became available to the public on Wednesday following the christening of the city’s first Safe Haven Baby Box.

The box is located at Wheeling Island Fire Department Station 5 on North Wabash Street and is the first of two that will be available in the city. Once the facility is completed, the second box will be located at the new Wheeling Fire Department headquarters on Market Street.

A mother can place a baby inside the climate-controlled box through a door on the outside of the building. After an infant is placed inside the box’s bassinet, an alarm will sound in the fire station.

Once first responders are notified that a newborn is in the box, they will retrieve the baby and transport it to a hospital.

After the christening, Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier explained the box’s features to members of the public and noted that they would like the box’s response time to be under five minutes.

“Most of the babies that are dropped off in the boxes are only hours old so some of them still have umbilical cords attached and things like that, so there are some assessments that need to be made,” explained Blazier. “We will treat anything emergent in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

The hospital will continue their care, and then we will find the proper authorities for child placement.”

The location of the baby box at the Wheeling Island fire station is to ensure that mothers in both West Virginia and nearby eastern Ohio have the ability to “take advantage of this resource,” said Blazier.

Founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes Monica Kelsey noted on Wednesday that the Wheeling baby box is the third opened in West Virginia and the 224th in the nation. The first baby box opened in West Virginia was in Moundsville last November.

“Today, for the third time in the state, we are offering a resource that has never been available before, and that is 100% anonymity,” described Kelsey. “If a parent doesn’t want to or can’t take care of their child, they can walk to this fire station now and have the option to keep their child safe.”

The effort to obtain a Safe Haven Baby Box in Wheeling began with one local mother, Ciarra Beaver, who pitched the idea of having one locally to her friends Cassandra Elliott, Olivia Becca and Maggie Turak last spring. From there, the group spearheaded fundraising efforts to secure a box for Wheeling.

“Describing this as a dream realized falls short,” said Beaver during her speech at the christening. “Today we’re proud to unveil this safe haven. While we pray it remains unused, its presence is a blessing for any newborn who may need it.”

The public pitched in about $16,000 for the project, according to Wheeling Fire Chief Jim Blazier, which covered the cost of the box. WVU Medicine Wheeling Hospital donated $16,000 which funded the cost of installing the box and wiring an alarm system in it.

Apart from the public and local organizations chipping in to fund the box, the installation of the box also involved local businesses stepping up. North Gate Contractors installed the box, and Yahn Electric Company wired it and hooked up the alarm.

Assistant City Manager Bill Lanham and his wife, Anita Lanham, also donated a bassinet for the box.

“This is truly a partnership between WU Medicine Wheeling Hospital and a citizen-driven initiative from Ciarra and Cassandra with the city contributing as well,” noted City Manager Bob Herron on Wednesday. “I couldn’t be more proud of the fact that everybody came together and selected this location which does serve two states in the region. I really do appreciate the efforts of all, and we look forward to hosting this box but hopefully, no one ever needs to use it.”

Wheeling Mayor Glenn Elliott echoed Herron’s words during his speech at the christening, adding, “This project is why cities exist in the first place- to look out for each other.”

Following the christening of the box by the Rev. Ken Hardway of First Christian Church, Kelsey announced the box was now available for women “in this community and beyond.”

“This box offers no shame, no blame and no names,” said Kelsey. “These mothers are choosing to keep their children safe who will grow up to change the world.”