FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — On Thursday night, Valley lows dropped into the low 40s. In the Fresno area, the forecasted low was 42 degrees.
Overnight, the California Highway Patrol received a call of a man and a woman, believed to be in their 50s, found dead inside the tent they shared on Belmont Avenue and Abby Street near Highway 180.
Investigators believe the two had started a warming fire, fell asleep and died from a lack of oxygen.
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Risks of hypothermia are increasing for those who are unhoused, especially those without safe heating elements.
“You’re losing heat faster than your body can generate so your core temperature starts dropping,” UCSF Fresno physician Dr. Kenny Banh said.
The largest risk to hypothermia, aside from extreme heat or cold, is exposure to elements, including rain and fog.
“If you don’t have access to where you can get dry, clean clothes, and stay bundled and stay warm, that’s a real risk for having a significant problems with hypothermia,” Dr. Banh said.
People often misinterpret being shivering cold as being hypothermic.
When the shivering stops, that’s when people go from a moderate to a severe stage of hypothermia.
“And that’s what leads to heart failure, organ failure, and potentially death from hypothermia if it gets to severe,” Dr. Banh said.
The Fresno Mission says nightly attendance continues to rise each evening, as Valley lows drop.
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“What we’ve seen is an average of about 10 additional people showing up per night,” Fresno Mission CEO Matthew Dildine said.
On Thursday night, the warming center at the Fresno Mission welcomed 65 individuals. The nonprofit says it has a total capacity of 180 beds.
“We’re starting to see that demand go up as we also see the temperatures go down,” Dildine said.
The warming center in downtown Fresno offers anyone a safe place to find rest overnight. Offering beds, restrooms, blankets and breakfast in the morning.
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