The St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County, Oregon, USA endured last month’s record breaking heatwave with a broken refrigerator and without air conditioning. Now, their Homeless Services are preparing for future emergencies.

According to NPR (klcc.org):

Director of Homeless and Emergency Services Roxann O’Brien says they’ve since fixed equipment and are addressing other issues that came up during the heatwave. More than 100 people are suspected to have died because of the heatwave in Oregon.

SVDP learned Pallet Shelters couldn’t withstand hot temperatures without A/C units. O’Brien said they’re now adding units to shelters for use during the summer. Credit Melorie Begay/KLCC News

For example, O’Brien said Pallet Shelters, which are small stand up structures, are now being outfitted with A/C units because the shelters couldn’t handle the heat. SVDP also plans to build outdoor coverage for their refrigeration units to keep compressors out of direct sunlight.

“We’re are always constantly looking for better solutions,” she said. “Our ultimate goal is to house the unsheltered and we have several programs that do that.” …

Read the full article at klcc.org

Copyright 2021 KLCC
https://www.klcc.org/post/heatwave-challenged-some-svdps-homeless-services-now-theyre-preparing-future

Here is a video about this SVDP Council and their ministry:

https://vimeo.com/467815961