Tehachapi proclaims February as Safe Surrender Baby Awareness Month
City of Tehachapi
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KCFD Division Chief Andrew Kennison and Mayor Phil Smith.
On Monday, February 7, the Tehachapi City Council proclaimed February to be Safe Surrender Baby Awareness Month.
At the request of the Kern County Department of Human Services Mayor Phil Smith and fellow council members issued a proclamation that February 2022 would be Safe Surrender Baby Awareness month in Tehachapi.
The Safely Surrendered Baby Law responds to the increasing number of newborn infant deaths statewide due to abandonment in unsafe locations. First enacted in January 2001, the law's intent is to save the lives of newborn infants at risk of abandonment by encouraging parents or persons with lawful custody to safely surrender the infant within 72 hours of birth, with no questions asked. Since 2006, Kern County has had 91 babies safely surrendered. The 91st safe baby surrender in Kern County occurred in 2022.
Representing the Safely Surrendered Baby Coalition at the council meeting was KCFD Division Chief Andrew Kennison who shared updated statistics and thanked the council for acknowledging the program and helping increase public awareness.
Jana Slagle from Kern County Department of Human Services discusses Safe Surrender Baby Awareness Month on the latest episode of TehachaPod.
For more information on the Safe Surrender Baby Awareness Program visit the Kern County Department of Human Services website http://www.KCDHS.org.
