EMS

Safe Surrender

Upland Fire Department Fire Stations are designated Safe Surrender Sites.

The Safely Surrendered Baby Law responds to the increasing number of newborn infant deaths due to abandonment in unsafe locations. First created in January 2001, the Safely Surrendered Baby Law was signed permanently into state law in January 2006. The law’s intent is to save 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.

  • Safe surrender sites are hospitals or other locations, typically fire stations that are approved by the board of supervisors or fire agency in each county.
  • Upland Fire Department is a designated site
  • Safe surrender sites are required to display the blue and white logo found above
  •  Parents will not be held criminally liable for child abandonment when surrendering newborns up to 72 hours old to a Fire Department employee.
  • No person or entity that accepts a surrendered newborn will be subject to civil, criminal or administrative liability for accepting and caring for the newborn in the good faith belief that action is required or authorized by this law with the exception of personal injury, wrongful death, malpractice claims.
  • If there are concerns identified that would normally be reported to Child Protective Services (CPS) regarding a child, or the surrendering mother’s other children, Social Services will be notified. The identity of the surrendering mother will not be released to anyone, including CPS.
  • Newborns up to 72-hours old may be voluntarily surrendered by any person having lawful custody to any crew member of a safe-surrender site.
  • The surrender must be person to person.
  •  DO NOT DROP OFF THE BABYand LEAVE UNATTENDED!!!
  • Newborns older than 72-hours are not covered under the Safe Surrender Law therefore; the Upland Police Department would be notified of child abandonment. 
  • Upland Fire Department personnel will obtain a Safe Surrender Packet, which have been issued to each station. These packets contain matching identification bracelets and a Family Medical History Questionnaire. The matching identification bracelets allow the lawful custodian of the infant the ability to reclaim the infant if they have a change of heart within two weeks.
  • Upland Fire Department personnel will place the coded, confidential infant identification bracelet around the newborn’s ankle (located within the Safe Surrender Packet). This code needs to match the code listed on the family medical history questionnaire to ensure the correct information goes with the infant.
  • A good faith effort will be made by fire personnel to give an identical coded, confidential bracelet to the person voluntarily surrendering the newborn.
  • A good faith effort will be made by fire personnel to give the person voluntarily surrendering the newborn a Family Medical History Questionnaire. The questionnaire must include the coded, confidential identification number to ensure that the information can be matched to the newborn.  This information assists with the health and well being of the infant in the future and is strongly encouraged.
  • The Family Medical Questionnaire may be completed at the time of surrender OR mailed back to the hospital in a self-addressed, stamped envelope (located in the Safe Surrender Packet)

Please refer to SB 1368, Chapter 824, Section 1255.7 of the Health and Safety Code for further information.

City
of
Upland
California

460 N. Euclid Avenue
Upland, CA 91786
(909) 931-4100

Hours of Operation:
Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.