RES-9945 All Municipal Fire Stations Safe Surrender Sites for NewbornsRESOLUTION NO. 9945
I
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE
CITY OF ORANGE REQUESTING THE ORANGE
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO
DESIGNATE ALL MUNICIPAL FIRE STATIONS
WITHIN THE CITY OF ORANGE JURISDICTION
AS SAFE-SURRENDER SITES FOR
NEWBORNS WHEREAS, California Health and Safety Code section 1255.7, known as the
Safe Haven Law, was enacted in 2000 in response to widespread reports of babies
being abandoned in trash bins and restrooms, and on the highways, and being discovered dead
or in life-threatening medical and physical
condition; and WHEREAS, the Safe Haven Law encourages persons with custody
of unwanted newborn children to anonymously surrender the newborn so that it may
receive immediate medical
attention; and WHEREAS, according to the California Department of Social Services, in
the first two years that the Safe Haven Law was in effect, 20 babies were safely surrendered;
but 88 babies were still illegally abandoned, 20 of whom
died; and WHEREAS, the Safe Haven Law provides that (a) a parent or
person having lawful custody of a child 72 hours old or younger, who delivers the child to
a designated Safe-Surrender Site, would be immune from criminal prosecution, (b)
a person accepting custody of a newborn at a Safe-Surrender Site must notify
the County Child Protective Services Agency within 48 hours, and (c) permits the person
surrendering a newborn to anonymously provide medical information to the
person accepting custody; and WHEREAS, the Safe Haven Law defines a Safe-
Surrender Site as a location designated by the board of supervisors of a county to
be responsible for accepting physical
custody of a newborn; and WHEREAS, the Safe Haven Law provides immunity
for the safe surrender site and the personnel of the safe surrender site
from civil,
criminal, and administrative liability; and,I WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of
Orange strongly supports the Safe-Surrender Site program and desires that all City of Orange
fire stations
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of
Orange hereby formally requests that the Orange County Board of Supervisors designate
all fire stations within the City of Orange jurisdiction as Safe-Surrender Sites pursuant
to California Health and Safety Code section 1255.
7.ADOPTED this 8th day of March,
2005.At-
fN Murphy, Mayor,
Cit
ATTEST:ityCler
Orange I, MARY E. MURPHY, City Clerk of the City of Orange, California,
do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly adopted by the
City Council of the City of Orange at a regular meeting thereof held on the 8th day of
March,2005 by the following
vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:COUNCILMEMBERS: Smith, Ambriz, Murphy, Cavecche,
Dumitru COUNCILMEMBERS:
None COUNCILMEMBERS:
None COUNCILMEMBERS: