For Emergency Service Providers

Roles & Responsibilities of the Emergency Service Provider

An emergency service provider (ESP) is a uniformed or otherwise identified employee or contractor of a fire department, hospital or police station that is inside the premises and on duty. An ESP also includes a paramedic or emergency medical technician when responding to a 9-1-1 call. The parent(s) does not need to share any information with the ESP. The ESP will immediately accept the newborn, taking the newborn into temporary protective custody, and will transport the newborn to the hospital.

Hospital Personnel:

Surrendered newborns must receive a physician’s examination at the hospital. Healthy, unharmed newborns will be referred immediately to an adoption agency.

Police Personnel:

After taking the newborn into temporary protective custody, transfer of the newborn to a hospital must be arranged. Police should accompany the newborn to the hospital.

Fire Department Personnel:

After taking temporary protective custody of the newborn, transfer of the newborn to a hospital must be arranged. Fire department personnel should accompany the newborn to the hospital.  

Emergency Medical Technicians/Paramedics:

Emergency medical technicians and paramedics can accept a surrendered newborn under the Safe Delivery program when responding to a 911 call. After taking temporary protective custody of the newborn, the paramedic or emergency medical technician must transport the newborn to a hospital.