SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Jan. 10, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — With the recent cold snap, state officials have extended a Code Blue alert through at least Friday morning and Salt Lake County is asking for help manning warming centers for the homeless.
Initiated Saturday after an extended period without one, the state Department of Health and Human Services is projecting the Code Blue through 8 a.m. Friday.
Counties affected are Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Davis, Duchesne, Iron, Juab, Millard, Morgan, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch and Weber, basically every county in the state but Washington County, excluding the nine less populous counties not included in the Code Blue monitoring. For more information https://dhhs.utah.gov/code-blue-utah/
“Salt Lake County is looking for volunteers who will be able to respond quickly when a Code Blue Alert is issued and who would be willing to help staff overnight warming sites,” the county said in a press release.
“Volunteers will be working directly with people experiencing homelessness. There is an expectation of trauma informed care, empathy and kindness.
“We expect all volunteers to enter this space with neutrality of biases and empathy for this vulnerable population.”
Those “willing and able to be a part of this life-saving volunteer effort” can contact Katie Zimmerman at [email protected]g with questions or for more information.
Code Blues operate under a state law that took affect late last year allowing for the relaxing of entry standards at shelters and giving officials more leeway in identifying new locations to shield the homeless from the cold.
The DHHS explains Code Blues are issued when temperatures are expected to drop to 15 degrees for two hours or more during a 24-hour period. The following provisions apply when a Code Blue takes effect:
- A homeless shelter may expand the homeless shelter’s capacity limit by up to 35% to provide temporary shelter to any number of individuals experiencing homelessness, so long as the homeless shelter is in compliance with the applicable building code and fire code.
- A homeless shelter shall implement expedited intake procedures for individuals experiencing homelessness who request access to the homeless shelter.
- A homeless shelter may not deny temporary shelter to any individual experiencing homelessness who requests access to the homeless shelter for temporary shelter unless the homeless shelter is at the capacity limit or if the individual presents a danger to the homeless shelter’s staff or guests.
- Any indoor facility owned by a private organization, nonprofit organization, state government entity, or local government entity may be used to provide temporary shelter to individuals experiencing homelessness and is exempt from licensure requirements throughout the Code Blue alert and for seven days after the alert ends, so long as the facility is in compliance with building and fire codes.
- Homeless shelters, state and local government entities, and other organizations that provide services to individuals experiencing homelessness shall coordinate street outreach efforts to distribute to individuals experiencing homelessness any available resources for survival in cold weather, including clothing items and blankets.
- If no beds or other accommodations are available at any homeless shelters located within the affected county, a municipality may not enforce an ordinance that prohibits camping for the duration of the Code Blue alert and for two days after the alert ends.
- A state or local government entity, including a municipality, law enforcement agency, and local health department may not enforce an ordinance or policy to seize from individuals experiencing homelessness any personal items for survival in cold weather, including clothing, blankets, tents, sleeping bags, heaters, stoves, and generators.
