Growing Sacramento homeless crisis producing bigger impact on local firefighters
SACRAMENTO — A machete attack and a fire captain punched in the face — it's what Sacramento Metro Fire is facing with a growing homeless crisis.
They say their jobs are getting more and more dangerous.
Squatters in vacant buildings are responsible for fires causing millions in damage.
Metro Fire Capt. Parker Wilbourn said his agency responded to more than 2,500 fire incidents last year directly related to homeless encampments or people experiencing homelessness.
Of those fires, 27 were at commercial structures or homes. Wilbourn said they have had an issue with the homeless tampering with fire suppression systems to wash clothes. This has caused false alarms or rendered those systems useless.
And even if the homeless are keeping to themselves at campsites, what's left behind is not only a danger to the public but the environment.
"You got bio waste, human fecal matter and urine and syringes in these areas," Wilbourn said. "And those are actually being washed away into our rivers, streams and our storm drains."
He added, "the problem is getting worse and we need to work faster, work quicker to get solutions to prevent potentially more fatal incidents."
Sacramento County sent CBS Sacramento a statement, saying it's working tirelessly to address the issue. The statement reads, in part:
"We have hundreds of shelter beds that are in the works through our new safe stay communities, multi-disciplinary encampment service teams that are made up of mental health, behavioral health and navigation specialists and weather respite shelters. We have sanitation stations and water delivery to support public health efforts and walk-in mental health clinics to welcome in those that need referrals and resources."
But the county said more housing is needed. They are asking landowners and business owners to possibly step up with more vacant space for housing solutions.
