Firefighters Carry Homeless People To Shelter
The Fort Worth Fire Department’s Homeless Outreach Team (HOPE Team) responded to a large encampment in downtown Fort Worth. The encampment was tucked under a bridge, down a steep embankment, and the terrain made access extremely challenging. When the team arrived, everyone at the site said they were ready to go to a shelter—but four individuals were without shoes, their footwear frozen from the night outdoors.
One man was exhausted and emotionally distressed from exposure to extreme cold, so a firefighter carried him on his back. Halfway up the hill, the man started seizing from hypothermia-related complications. Louis Pantoja and Chris Provence were among those first responders. In all, the group assisted 150 people to local shelters, and reunited 60 others with family or friends who could provide a safe place to stay.