IN FROM THE BITTER COLD
Street Help resists order to kick out homeless
Staff at the local Street Help homeless centre were resisting efforts by Windsor’s fire department Friday night to force homeless men out onto the streets on one of the city’s coldest nights in recent memory.
Director Christine Wilson-Furlonger said officials with the fire department visited the centre Friday and told staff they may not allow people to spend the night. She said fire officials told staff the centre, located at 964 Wyandotte St. E., is not zoned residential, therefore “we have to kick out everybody we have in residence.”
Referring to the bitterly cold windchill gripping the area, however, she said Street Help would resist any such order.
“I’m not kicking anybody out. It’s -36 (C) degrees. It’s not going to happen,” she said. “And even if the (Downtown) Mission’s claiming they have beds … I’m not going to ask people to walk 13 blocks in -36 degree weather in the hopes that the mission might be able to take them.
“And these are people who are already barred from the mission … barred from the Salvation Army.”
Street Help doesn’t operate a shelter but during extremely cold weather, men living on the streets are welcome to spend the night. Clients sleep on mats on the floor or benches covered by sleeping bags and comforters.
Chief fire prevention officer John Lee told the Star a temporary resolution had been reached to allow the men to stay at the centre over the weekend.
Staff were given basic fire training and procedures for evacuation and must stay awake all night to supervise the clients.
“The facility is not a lodging home ... it’s not licensed to be a lodging home,” Lee said. “It doesn’t have a fire safety plan, emergency procedures, fire protection systems or trained staff. They were locking people inside. We would not have known people were in there if we happen to show up at night.
“When we became aware of it we issued the order. We have since come to a resolution,” he said. “We want to ensure the safety of the people that are there and make sure that they can evacuate safely and that they are safe being there.”
Wilson-Furlonger said the centre has been averaging about 16 men a night during the recent frigid weather. Only men are allowed to stay overnight because there aren’t enough female volunteers to supervise women overnight.
“These are men who do not fit into the other shelter’s accommodations that are available in Windsor,” she said. “It might be because of addiction issues, it might be because of behaviour issues, whatever it is, they’re still human beings.”
Wilson-Furlonger, who is out of town on a personal family matter, said fire officials told her staff they would return later Friday night to make sure the order was complied with. If not, the centre could face fines, she said staff were told.
“I begged my staff to stay strong,” she said. “The fire department could fine the centre.
“But we can’t put people out. Some of our clients, I’m told they thought they might be arrested, have already fled,” Wilson-Furlonger said. “Where would they go to? Oh my God. I’m so frightened for them.”
A special weather statement by Environment Canada for all of Southern Ontario, including Windsor-Essex, warned of bitter cold temperatures overnight Friday and into Saturday.
These are men who do not fit into the other shelter’s accommodations ... in Windsor . ... they’re still human beings.