For the next few days, the arctic blast sweeping through New Mexico will push temperatures in Santa Fe below 20 degrees Fahrenheit after the sun sets. In response to the cold, from Jan. 7 through the early morning of Jan. 10, the city is activating its Code Blue protocols to reach out to the homeless community with necessary supplies and shelter.
“This is going to be bitter cold temperatures; the wind chills will be down into the single digits,” City Emergency Management Director Brian Williams tells SFR. “That's cold enough to cause a person severe problems if they're not kept warm.”
Every night the Code Blue protocols are active, the city’s police department, fire department and park rangers will patrol the streets to distribute food, cold weather supply kits (which include hand and foot warmers, socks, hats, gloves and ponchos) and offer free transportation to nearby shelter to any homeless person in need. Williams says about 20 units will be patrolling. The fire department’s Alternative Response Unit will participate in the patrols, and will operate at extended hours until 10 pm.
“The number one mission here is to help prevent vulnerable people from perishing as a result of cold,” Williams says. “I don't care how or why, or whatever the circumstances are that put the person in homelessness. Nobody deserves to die because they're poor.”
The city’s assistant fire chief, Sten Johnson, says the fire department initiated Code Blue as a way for the city to proactively respond to the needs of the homeless in severe weather. Johnson says he and the crew in his department will be patrolling the streets from 6 to 10 pm.
“We know from past experience where hot spots are or where people tend to congregate, so we always investigate those areas of town we can come across,” Johnson says.
Williams says as long as Code Blue is activated, local shelters such as Pete’s Place will make exceptions to take people in who may otherwise not be eligible, typically due to drug use or past misbehavior. He clarified the shelters still may not allow people who have been ejected from the shelter for violent behavior to enter.
“The last time we had severe weather, there were four fatalities. To what extent they were related to the temperature, I don't know,” Williams says. “Our marching orders are that we're doing everything we can to facilitate as much as humanly possible, the sheltering and assistance to anyone who might be vulnerable.”
Williams adds that while Code Blue has “settled into being an effective program,” the main obstacle the city faces is having enough shelter space.
“Part of the problem is, people don't want to go to Pete's for whatever reason. That's tough, because there aren't really a whole lot of alternatives,” Williams says. “I think everybody understands there is a need for more shelter space.”
This year, Williams says, the city is partnering with local churches to set up extra, temporary shelter space to deal with the cold weather. The City of Santa Fe Transit Division will also offer free bus rides and will continue to run regular routes.
The Code Blue activation will extend beyond Thursday night if temperatures continue to drop below 20 degrees by Friday.
Both Williams and Johnson say residents in need of immediate support or those who wish to report others in need of emergency support by dialing 911. Non-emergency calls to help those in need of shelter, food or other support should dial 211 instead.
“We want people to call if they find somebody in distress. We just don't want to get overloaded with calls for people who are not really in distress,” Williams says. “It’s a busy time.”
