It took about two minutes Sunday after someone left a baby girl in a Safe Haven box at a Madison fire station for the child to find its way into the arms of a firefighter.

“This baby was being loved on by some big burly guys. They’re all tough until they’ve got a baby in their arms. The process worked,” said Monica Kelsey, founder of Safe Haven.

The child was the first newborn left in a Safe Haven Baby Box in Alabama, according to the Kids to Love Foundation. The child was left just 12 days after the baby box opened at that location.

Last June 1, the Alabama Legislature expanded the state’s “Safe Haven” law, allowing the surrender of infants, up to 45 days old, at fire stations that operate around-the-clock with emergency personnel.

The new law authorized Safe Haven Baby Boxes, which are secured portals in the exterior walls of fire stations where infants can be placed and immediately retrieved by emergency workers inside. The box allows children to be surrendered anonymously.

Kelsey said the child, while not a newborn, was within the 45-day window.

Once the door to the box closed, an alarm sounded.

Madison Fire chief David Bailey was at the station when the child was dropped off that afternoon. He said “that day a little bit surprising” after a week of dealing with ice and snow related issues,

“It went perfectly according to our (operating procedures),” Bailey said. “I was here. We were all a little bit surprised by this beautiful, little healthy baby. The baby was extremely cooperative, for us, thank goodness, which was terrific.”

After a vitals check and assessment, it appeared the baby needed no medical care, so the child was transported to Madison Hospital by a staff vehicle.

Madison Hospital President Mary Lynne Wright said the hospital did its own assessment of the child’s health, and quickly got to know the baby girl.

“She was loved the minute she went into the nursery. I even had my ER medical director come to me today to ask, ‘How is our baby?’” she said.

The baby is now in custody of Madison County DHR. When a baby is surrendered to authorities, law enforcement agencies work to make sure the baby is not a missing child. Then petitions are filed in juvenile court to begin the process of placing the child with an adoptive family once she leaves the hospital. Officials said the legal process, without any complications, could be completed by the end of March.

Approximately 2,600 foster and adoptive homes ready to take custody of a child in Alabama, officials said.

Kelsey said her organization has already received calls from other cities wanting to install their own safe haven boxes, and people willing to pay for them. But she spent time during a Thursday news conference in Madison addressing the child’s mother.

“As amazing as it is that we saved the life of a child, I know there’s a mother out there whose heart is broken,” she said. “I know this wasn’t an easy decision for you. But we’re so proud of you for keeping your child safe.”

Kelsey said free counseling and medical care is available through her organization.

“If you just need somebody to listen, we will be on the other end of the phone,” she said.