Newborn baby given second chance at life after being abandoned in a 'Safe Haven' baby box

A volunteer firefighter was on his way to run an errand when his beeper went off.

Lt. Chuck Kohler of the Coolsprings Fire Department rushed to the station, as reported by Good Fullness.

"There was a medical alarm at the fire station, which means that someone opened the baby box," Good Fullness quoted the 37-year-old volunteer firefighter as saying.

Kohler lives right around the corner from the fire station so he arrived there in less than a minute.

He responded to the alarm although there had been false alarms in the past. When he went inside the fire station, he immediately heard a baby crying.

"I opened the door to where the box is, and I found the baby in there," he said.

Indiana's Safe Haven Law allows a person to leave a newborn at a medical facility, police station or fire station. The person will not be prosecuted or arrested if the child doesn't appear to have signs of abuse.

Under the law, the person leaving the newborn will not have to provide information regarding the baby. He or she can leave the baby without question or judgment.

The newborn will be examined and given medical treatment if needed. After that, the baby will be turned over to the Indiana Department of Child Services, who will then find a caregiver for the child.

Kohler put on protective gloves and checked the baby for injuries or bleeding. He found none. He held the baby until the paramedics came.

A baby box was installed at the Coolsprings Fire Department around two years ago. Official Baby Boxes were founded by Monica Kelsey.

Kohler is grateful that Baby Boxes are available for people who would otherwise abandon unwanted babies in unsafe locations.

"You can't judge anybody for doing this. This is a wonderful thing. It's a great alternative for what could've happened to the baby," he said.