Committee approves negotiations to place Safe Haven baby box at Central Station

The Committee on Community Improvement of the Manchester Board of Mayor & Aldermen voted to allow city staff to enter negotiations with Safe Haven to place an anonymous baby drop box at Manchester Central Station.

Fire Chief Ryan Cashin requested permission to enter negotiations with the nonprofit Safe Haven for the donation and installation of a baby box at Central Station. Cashin said Central Station was chosen because "it's always got somebody there — somebody's in dispatch" who would be notified when the box is used. Cashin described the box as opaque from the outside; a person can place an infant inside, the unit sets off an alarm to dispatch, and staff then respond.

"If we put it on Central Station, we always have a dispatcher available," Cashin said. "The purpose for this box is so that women can — I guess a man could too — put their infant inside the box and they're anonymous. They don't have to feel like they're being judged when they hand their baby over to somebody."

Alderman Birkisch called the proposal "a great idea" and thanked the fire chief for bringing it forward. Alderman Kantor noted a state statute enacted in September 2024 permits this approach and said Manchester could be the first in New Hampshire to install such a unit. Cantor expressed thanks as well. Committee members agreed to move the item forward to the Board of Mayor & Aldermen the same evening.

The committee's action was to authorize the fire department to enter negotiations; the transcript shows the committee approved the motion (moved by Alderman Long, seconded by Alderman Cantor) and indicated the item would be advanced to the full Board. The motion as recorded in committee did not itself finalize installation, funding, or a specific contract; it authorized negotiations and referral to the Board for any subsequent approvals.

Context
Speakers noted that a person may already bring an infant to a fire station without using a drop box but said the box provides anonymity for those who prefer it. Cashin said the box will set off an alarm at dispatch so staff can respond. The committee discussion referenced a state statute from September 2024 that allows installation of these devices; the transcript did not specify the statute number or the grant/funding source for installation or ongoing maintenance. Final placement, contract terms, funding and timeline will be decided if and when the full Board approves any resulting agreement.