The deadly summer heat and limited options for Utah's unsheltered population to escape it has mobilized efforts by community members of charitable organizations to help them cool down.
SALT LAKE CITY — The small clusters of tents or makeshift shelters strung together with tarps fluttered at the sound of footsteps. The sweltering heat had already arrived by mid-morning with no wind in the forecast — the movement could only mean that someone was inside.
The heat wave swept into Utah early last week, bringing with it record-high triple-digit temperatures. The National Weather Service issued excessive heat warnings and heat advisories all across the state, and overnight temperatures stayed warm with the lows falling only to between 70 to 80 degrees. Salt Lake City's homeless resource centers saw a 98.7% occupancy rate in mid-July, with fewer beds since the temporary winter overflow ended in April. The deadly heat and limited options for the unsheltered population to escape it has mobilized efforts by community members like Garvin.
created by Salt Lake County. While the cool zone can provide temporary relief and is a needed program, there can still be gaps, Garvin said. The senior centers feature activities for everyone to participate in, but sitting in lobbies for hours on end can lead to restlessness or boredom. Conflicts between pets such as cats and dogs can also push people out of the programs, she added.
"I try to make the best of being out here as I can, but it's hard really. It's hard to move forward. It's hard to progress and take large steps in any direction because it always seems like we're spending our time and energy into protecting our stuff and we're not protecting it; it's getting thrown away," said Ryan Dustin Lee, who is currently unsheltered.
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