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HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-149 - Resolutions RESOLUTION NO. 05-149 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING PARTICIPATING FIRE STATIONS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF RANCHO CUCAMONGA AS "SAFE HAVENS" FOR THE SURRENDER OF NEWBORNS WHEREAS, reports have occurred in San Bernardino County of confused and frightened women who, after giving birth, have abandoned their newborn infants without regard to their child's safety; and WHEREAS, the California legislature has enacted legislation intended to provide a safe option to parents or guardians for surrendering unwanted newborn children to safe-surrender sites for medical care, child protection, and permanent placement services; and WHEREAS, the legislation protects the parent or guardian of the newborn from prosecution if he or she voluntarily surrenders physical custody of the child to personnel on duty at a safe-surrender site; and WHEREAS, manned fire stations are equipped to accept newborn babies and provide immediate emergency care while en-route to a hospital; and WHEREAS, San Bernardino County Fire Chiefs Emergency Medical Services Association developed the attached "Safe-Haven"Guidelines for establishing infant safe-surrender sites at participating fire stations that elect to be designated as such; and WHEREAS, the San Bernardino County Fire Chiefs Association, representing all local city and district fire agencies, have endorsed the "Safe-Haven" Protocol. NOW,THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga does hereby designate fire stations in the City of Rancho Cucamonga, California as infant safe-surrender sites ("Safe Havens"). Please see the following page for formal adoption,certification and signatures Resolution No. 05-149 Page 2 of 5 PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED this 201h day of April 2005. AYES: Alexander, Gutierrez, Michael, Spagnolo, Williams NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAINED: None William J. Alexa nde , Mayor ATTEST: L. Kath n L. ott, CMC, Deputy City Clerk I, KATHRYN L.SCOTT, DEPUTY CITY CLERK of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, California, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly passed,approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Rancho Cucamonga, California, at a Regular Meeting of said City Council held on the 201h day of April 2005. Executed this 21st day of April 2005, at Rancho Cucamonga, California. - � C, �� Kat ryn L. ott, CMC, Deputy City Clerk Resolution No. 05-149 Page 3 of 5 c...n San Bernardino County Fire Chief's Association PROCEDURE FOR ACCEPTING A NEWBORN UNDER THE CALIFORNIA SAFE HAVEN LAW PURPOSE: State law provides immunity for mothers or persons in lawful custody of newborn infants less than seventy-two (72) hours who surrender these infants to a designated "safe-surrender site" from criminal prosecution. This policy was developed to prevent newbom infants from being abandoned resulting in serious injury or death. POLICY: It shall be the policy of the Fire Department to allow a mother or any person in lawful custody of an infant minor to surrender an infant to any on-duty firefighter. 1. AUTHORITY Authority for this policy is pursuant to California Health & Safety Code section 1255.7; and California Penal Code section 271.5. II. DEFINITIONS A Fire Station considered a Safe-Surrender Site is: A Fire Station where emergency personnel are present on-site or any emergency scene location to which Fire Department safety personnel respond via a 911 emergency call. The statewide logo that has been adopted by the State Department of Social Services must be clearly visible to the public. Note Fire stations that are not staffed full time should not be considered Safe- Surrender Sites, but should ensure that an emergency telephone is located outside the entrance to the fire station and offers direct communications to the dispatch center. In the event that an infant surrender call is received, a paramedic unit will be immediately dispatched to the site. Resolution No. 05-149 Page 4 of 5 III, PROCEDURE Department policy is to facilitate the surrender of newborn infants less than seventy-two (72) hours of age by the mother discreetly without fear of being prosecuted for child abandonment as outlined below. A. Welcome the parent or person surrendering the infant and provide reassurance. B. Accept custody of the newborn and assess for medical needs. 1. If the newborn is delivered to non-paramedic personnel, maintain custody until the arrival of a paramedic unit. C. If a "still alarm" at the fire station, notify Dispatch to generate a medical aid call. 1. Respond a paramedic unit if the newborn is surrendered to a non-ALS company. 2. Respond a transport unit. D. Place the Confidential Infant ID tag from the Newborn Surrender packet on the newborn's ankle and record the code on the Department Rescue Report. E. Initiate Base Station Hospital contact as soon as reasonably possible to inform the hospital of the situation and ascertain the closest most appropriate receiving facility. 1. Base Station Hospital may direct transport to Labor & Delivery as indicated. 2. Continue to assess and provide for any medical needs of the infant. NOTE: In case of radio communication failure, consider direct transport to Labor & Delivery. F. Make a concerted effort to apply the identical coded "armband" to the person voluntarily surrendering the newborn. G. Make a concerted effort to have the person surrendering custody fill-out the authorized questionnaire. The person should be informed that the form is important and may be filled-out on-scene or filled-out and mailed later. H. Paramedics shall accompany the infant to the receiving facility and transfer custody to a designated hospital employee. Document the name and ID number of the person who received custody of the infant on the Department Rescue Report. I. From the hospital or as soon as reasonably possible, but within forty-eight (48) hours, notify Child Protective Services of the following: 1. Your name and contact information. 2. Address where incident occurred. 3. Information on Newborn Questionnaire if completed on-scene. 4. Location where newborn was transported. 5. Name of person who received newborn at receiving hospital. Resolution No. 05-149 Page 5 of 5 6. Complete a "Child Abuse Investigation Report" (form SS- 8583)upon request or other requested documentation. IV. PROCEDURE FOR INFANTS GREATER THAN 72 HOURS There is no state immunity from criminal prosecution for the surrender of infants greater than seventy-two (72) hours of age available to the mother or person in lawful custody. However, in order to prevent these infants from being abandoned at a later date, the following policy is adopted in handling these situations. A. Follow the procedure outlined in Section III above. B. Request Dispatch Center to notify the local Police Department or Sheriff as soon as possible and have them respond to the scene. Brief the officer of the situation and reasons why you believe the infant does not meet the less than seventy-two (72) hour requirement. C. Paramedics shall accompany the infant to the receiving facility and transfer custody to a designated hospital employee. The hospital staff shall also be informed of the reason why the infant is suspected to not meet the seventy-two (72) hour requirement. As soon as reasonably possible, contact CPS by telephone to make a verbal report. 1. Complete a "Child Abuse Investigation Report" (Form SS- 8583). V. SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE In all cases where Department personnel know or reasonably suspect that the infant has been the subject to physical or sexual abuse, CPS should be notified.