so_pitted_wabamFeb 25

TIL You can leagally drop your baby off at the fire station in all 50 states

https://lemmy.zip/post/59729703

TIL You can leagally drop your baby off at the fire station in all 50 states - Lemmy.zip

Pretty wild! All states give you at least 30 days to dump your baby, no strings attached. Some states give you 60 days! I feel like more people should know about this! It seems like a highly under utilized ability.

Show threadLost_My_Mind

I feel like this woold lead to confusion amongst firemen. Like they go to pull out of the firehouse to respond to a fire, but they have to stop before they start because a random baby is just there for no reason.

I could be wrong, but I doubt most firefighters even know the proceedure for “Baby randomly dropped off without a name”.

My first instinct would be to call child services. Like what else would you do?

Feb 25 at 3:42amWeb
Show threadspongebueFeb 25
I feel like if we know about this, they would too. Or at least a supervisor.
Show threadLifeInMultipleChoiceFeb 25
Yeah it’s not an unknown thing in the states, there are companies centered around preparing for such www.shbb.org
Safe Haven Baby Boxes

Safe Haven Baby Boxes
Show threadchemical_cutthroatFeb 25
I’d wager most of them know the first steps of the procedure. It’s likely a story that gets passed around a lot, even if it’s a rare occurrence. Also, every firefighter I’ve known is borderline OCD with keeping the station clean. I doubt that baby would be outside for long before they noticed.
Show threadGreenKnight23Feb 25

FYI when firefighters leave on call it’s not like ALL of them leave. a team leaves.

there’s still people and trainees left behind that can handle things back at the station.

Show threadSendMePhotosFeb 25

I think most fire departments are volunteer meaning that the stations are vacant unless there’s an active call.

Husband in fire/EMS.

Show threadspongebueFeb 25
That’s a good point that they exist, but a better way to quantify their prevalence is probably by population served. Even if the majority of fire departments are like that (if…) they would be in the most rural areas with little population. I would think most people live in areas densely populated enough to have an always-staffed fire station.
Show threadmoonshadowFeb 25
You would be correct per capita but not geographically! Volunteer/neighborhood fire departments are pretty common outside of major cities, and sometimes supplement professional services within them. They give people a direct way to serve their community and often serve double duty as event centers for birthdays, wedding receptions, potlatch, etc. Huge fan, consider volunteering :)
Show threadAxExRxFeb 26

I thought generally even volunteer FDs had a team on shift- the one in the small town i used to live in did at least. I worked with a guy for a while who couldnt work certain shifts because they were his volunteer FD shifts.

Usually he did overnights and would just sleep over at the station 3 nights a week, went with him several times to hang out and play poker, although there was a hard no beer in the station.

Sometimes he was just ‘on call’ though, and would even come to work, with the stipulation of “i can work that shift, but my radio has to stay on me at all times, and I will just be disappearing worhout warning if I get the call.”

Show threadSendMePhotosFeb 26
Departments vary. The ones near me are full time paid if you have to be at the station on shift. But there are only a handful of those.
Show threadKhanzarateFeb 25

Nah they’re made aware.

I mean, I guess a state could’ve passed the law, saying “hey, leave newborns at fire stations” and not informed the fire house, but it seems far more likely that they are informed.

But States either have designated boxes, or you hand the child over to them directly. You don’t just leave it in front of the firehouse door.

Show threadso_pitted_wabamFeb 25
Yeah, I think my state of NC requires there to be a designated baby receiver on call at all times just in case someone pulls up with one that they need to get rid of.
Show threadquick_snailFeb 25
I think you have to be trained to become a fireman.
Show threadUristFeb 26

Dropping babies at fire stations is a trend way older than any firefighter currently alive. They all know what the intent is if they find an unattended baby.

Some of them might take a bit before they realize it’s actually serious though.