FORT WORTH, Texas — On Sunday, January 25, the Fort Worth Fire Department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOPE Team) responded to a large encampment on East 9th Street to assist individuals facing extreme cold conditions. The team had previously visited the site to offer transportation to a shelter.
The encampment, located under a bridge and down a steep embankment, presented logistical challenges due to its distance from the transport bus and difficult terrain. Four individuals were found without shoes, as their footwear had become soaked and frozen overnight. The team decided to physically carry individuals up the hill to ensure their safety, according to the Fort Worth Fire Department.
One male occupant, visibly exhausted and emotionally distressed, began seizing due to hypothermia while being carried to the transport bus. The team initiated warming measures and called for an ambulance. The patient stabilized after experiencing multiple seizures and was transported to a local hospital for advanced medical care, stated the source.
After addressing the medical emergency, the HOPE team successfully transported the remaining individuals to a shelter, ensuring their safety from the cold. The team has made over 300 contacts during the storm, distributed over 300 blankets, gloves, and hand warmers, and assisted in transporting 150 people to local shelters. For 60 individuals who declined shelter, the team worked on reuniting them with family and friends.
The Fort Worth Fire Department emphasized their commitment to helping residents during the winter storm, stating, “Every resident of this city is a priority… we help one another no matter what.”