Kimberly fire station to host Magic Valley's first Safe Haven baby box

The Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office is planning to install the first Safe Haven Baby Box in the Magic Valley. The device is set to be placed at the Rock Creek Fire Station at 1559 Main St. N in Kimberly.

Fire Chief Arron Zent identified the specific location for the installation. He indicated that the box will sit in front of the station, positioned below a window. Zent described the mechanism as resembling a large bank safety deposit box. Parents will push the infant inside, and an alarm will sound to alert staff.

Twin Falls Sheriff Lieutenant Perry Barnhill explained the purpose of the box. He stated that the option is available for parents who are unable to care for a child for medical or financial reasons. Barnhill noted that the box accepts infants up to 30 days old.

The project relies on a change in Idaho state law. Idaho House Bill 1058 was passed in July 2025. The legislation allowed communities to install these boxes by clarifying that the use of the device does not constitute child abandonment. Barnhill credited a nurse from Blackfoot for working with legislators to pass the bill.

Idaho currently has three existing baby boxes. They are located in Blackfoot, Weiser, and Northern Idaho. Barnhill confirmed that no such device exists in the Twin Falls area or in Boise.

The Rock Creek Fire Station is staffed 24 hours a day. Emergency personnel are trained to handle the device. Upon activation, the infant will be transferred immediately to Saint Lukes in Twin Falls. Child welfare agencies will also be notified.

Barnhill emphasized that the process is 100% anonymous. When the box is opened, a packet drops out for the parents to take. The packet contains resources for counseling and encourages the mother to seek medical care.

A local contractor has already covered the cost of construction. The baby box itself costs $18,000. Officials are still raising funds to cover the remaining expenses.

Rock Creek and the Sheriff's Office will host a pancake breakfast and silent auction on November 14. The event will take place at the Rock Creek Fire Station from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Barnhill said the organization has applied for grants and will assess their funding status after the event and grant results are in.