this post was submitted on 25 Feb 2026
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Today I Learned

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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.

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[–] julianwgs@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 1 day ago (9 children)

There is something similar called "baby hatch" in Germany, but those are usually located at hospitals. Why the fire station? It makes no sense to me.

[–] Donebrach@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

Firemen are the only honorable public emergency service left in this country. all the rest are just out to murder people (source: am an american.)

[–] JcbAzPx@lemmy.world 4 points 9 hours ago

In many states fire service is also emergency medical service.

[–] KelvarCherry@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 17 hours ago

Fire stations are public utilities owned by local governments. Also, hospitals are regularly visited by people, whereas fire stations are more private as they mainly send out and return from dispatches.

[–] droans@lemmy.world 2 points 16 hours ago

It doesn't have to be fire stations. But they are commonly used for a few good reasons.

They're relatively ubiquitous. It shouldn't be hard for someone to locate a fire station. They're almost always staffed 24/7. They're trained on basic first aid. Quite often, they'll even have medics on staff.

Very importantly, though, they don't have a lot of people coming in and out of them. One of the big benefits of this program is that there are zero questions asked and it's as anonymous as you wish. The people who use these are often afraid they'll be judged as a failure. The lockboxes have a built-in time delay so you can leave before the station is alerted.

[–] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 6 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Why the fire station?

they're staffed 24/7

[–] PieMePlenty@lemmy.world 3 points 18 hours ago

Hospitals close for the night?

[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 day ago

Fire stations are everywhere, staffed by trustworthy people, who inevitably also have medical training. Additionally they aren't scary like the police are.
They're the people you call if you need help.

You can surrender an infant at a hospital too, as well as a police station, but fire stations are just more frequent.

[–] GarboDog@lemmy.world 5 points 22 hours ago

Fire stations are more anonymous, however you can give up rights to your child at Fire Stations, Police Stations, and Hospitals (far as we know) there are even some numbers and child protection will pick them up. Reason is because they rather take the child safely than deal with well.. yk

[–] ilinamorato@lemmy.world 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Hospitals in the US are kind of scattered, largely as a result of private equity tomfoolery. A lot of communities don't have one nearby. But pretty much every community has at least a volunteer fire station, and I believe all firefighters are required to be trained in at least first aid, if not be fully-qualified EMTs.

[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 2 points 22 hours ago

ALso they are in places that arnt easily reached too, and in busy traffic area, so not safe.

[–] Bubs12@lemmy.cafe 8 points 1 day ago

They are local to every town and always have people there