(Pictured above (L to R) El Cajon Fire Chief Mike Scott and El Cajon Fire Division Chief Rick Sitta)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: June 11, 2008

El Cajon Fire Department has joined fire agencies from throughout San Diego County to become a designated site for the Safely Surrendered Baby program. Infant abandonment is an event that does not occur very often, but when it does, it often results in serious injury or death. In 2001, SB1368 became law and established the Safely Surrendered Baby program. The purpose of the law is to encourage parents to bring unwanted infants, up to three days old, to reception centers such as hospitals or fire stations, rather than abandon them in dumpsters or bushes. No names are required and the parent(s) will not be subject to prosecution for child abandonment. The baby will receive needed medical treatment and be placed in an adoptive home. There is a mechanism for parents to reclaim the infant within 14 days if deemed appropriate by Child Welfare Services.

The Safely Surrendered Baby law established hospitals as safe haven sites and allowed the Counties to designate other facilities, such as fire stations, as safe haven sites. On December 11, 2007, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved the designation of fire stations that are staffed full-time as safe haven sites. Fire stations are located in the communities where people work and live, and fire stations have always been thought of as places where people can go to get help. A local fire station can be less intimidating than a hospital.

The addresses of our four El Cajon Fire Stations are; Station #6 located at 100 E. Lexington Avenue, Station #7 at 695 Tyrone Street, Station #8 at 1470 East Madison Avenue and Station #9 at 1301 North Marshall Street.

El Cajon Fire Chief Mike Scott says, "The El Cajon Fire Department is honored to make our fire stations available for this valuable program."

CONTACT: Monica Zech
Public Information Officer
(619) 441-1737 - office
(619) 843-7218 - cell

Note: This sign will be posted at designated fire stations in the County, including El Cajon. The above sign is posted at El Cajon Fire Station 6, located at 100 E. Lexington Avenue. All four El Cajon Fire Stations have the above signage.