JOPLIN, Mo. – The Joplin Professional Firefighters L59 are fundraising in hopes of bringing Missouri’s second Safe Haven baby box to southwest Missouri.

The only other Safe Haven baby box in the state is located in Mehlville in St. Louis County.

The firefighters are hoping to raise $15,000 to install the baby box.

Safe Haven baby boxes are safety devices that allow mothers in crisis to safely and anonymously surrender their newborns. When a baby is placed in the box, the box calls 911, social services, and a local hospital. The baby is taken to a hospital for a health assessment and then placed in the care of social services.

The boxes are climate-controlled, allowing the newborns a comfortable environment, and the boxes open from the inside of the fire station so firefighters can quickly access the baby.

Donations can be mailed to Local 59 PO Box 1712, Joplin, Mo. 64802, or dropped off at fire station #1 at 303 East 3rd Street, Joplin, Mo.