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City of Seattle
Gregory J. Nickels, Mayor
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NEWS ADVISORY
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| SUBJECT: Public safety, human services and shelter providers join forces to bring homeless people in from the cold
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
2/16/2006 4:30:00 PM |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Alex Fryer (206) 684-8358
David Takami (206) 684-0253
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Public safety, human services and shelter providers
join forces to bring homeless people in from the cold
SEATTLE - Seattle police are working with city and county human services staff
and shelter providers during this cold snap to make sure people sleeping outdoors
are transported to shelters.
“We want to make sure that everyone has a warm, dry and safe place to
sleep during this bitter cold period,” said Mayor Greg Nickels. “Temperatures
like this can kill, so we are going to put more outreach personnel on the streets
tonight - and every night that the cold snap lasts - to get people the help
they need.”
Police officers often check on people sleeping outdoors to make sure they
are okay. During this extra-cold period, the city will provide six additional
officers to team up with human services professionals to check sidewalks, entryways,
parks, under bridges, parking lots, cars and other likely places throughout
the city and take the people they find to a shelter if they are willing.
“If anyone notices people sleeping outside or in a vehicle, please call
911,” said Patricia McInturff, director of the Seattle Human Services
Department. McInturff and Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske will be available
at the West Police Precinct, 810 Virginia St., at 8 p.m. Thursday to answer
questions from the media.
Meanwhile, Operation Night Watch and the Union Gospel Mission will have their
cold weather outreach vans out, and the crews of two King County vans who work
nightly to transport intoxicated people to a sobering center operated by Recovery
Centers of King County will keep their eyes open for and transport to shelter
any people sleeping on the streets or in vehicles.
When severe weather hits or is predicted, the Seattle Human Services Department’s
Survival Services manager authorizes the opening of additional shelter space
in facilities not normally used for shelter. Survival Services staff notify
the year-round homeless service providers when they plan to open additional
facilities so that providers can refer people seeking shelter to a protected
sleeping place. Severe weather means a temperature drop to below 32 degrees,
snow, or heavy rain.
In addition to a new severe weather shelter at City Hall site, which is operated
by the Salvation Army, the city funds a severe weather shelter for 25 women
at the Frye Hotel. The Frye housed 14 people Wednesday night and can accommodate
up to 30 if needed. The City Hall shelter housed 63 people last night but can
handle 75 and would squeeze in more sleeping mats if needed.
The Union Gospel Mission and Bread of Life Mission also offer an extra 25
beds each on severe weather nights. Union Gospel housed more than 140 people
Wednesday (at capacity) and was expected to be full tonight. Their staff also
delivered food, hot drinks and blankets to those who didn’t want to move
indoors. Bread of Life, with a capacity of 25, was full and was expected to
be full tonight, as well. The King County-funded severe weather shelter, located
in King County’s administration building, has a capacity of 50 and served
46 people last night.
The severe weather beds are in addition to the more than 2,200 year-round
shelter beds in Seattle (1,200 of them funded by the city), and in addition
to the 127 winter-only beds, which are available October 1-March 31 each year.
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Office of the Mayor
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