PEORIA, Ill. – Leaders of Outreach organization LULA Peoria are worried about people living outdoors as the weather gets colder, and they struggle to stay warm.
Recently, fires broke out in a homeless encampment and outside Carle Health Methodist Hospital in downtown Peoria. Trying to stay warm, an elderly man lit a fire that spread to the hospital building, causing thousands of dollars in damage.
LULA Co-Founder Kshe Bernard tells 25 News, a fire that started in a tent downtown was caused by an aerosol can sitting too close to a heater provided by her organization. The fire left a camper burned, but Bernard says the man is now out of the hospital and healing.
Bernard says as Peoria’s public camping ban approaches, heaters are the best option to get through the winter weather for people who are homeless.
“We distribute hot hands, mylar blankets, and sleeping bags, but that only gets you so far,” Bernard says. “We’re starting to see not significant frostbite, but the start of lower-level frostbite and other hypothermic wounds.”
Bernard says the heaters are made for tents and LULA has also provided the campers with fire extinguishers. She says heaters pose risks, but they’re safer than homemade fire sources or open flames.
“They burn hand sanitizer, they bring in cooking candles, they bring in grills, or they make a fire pit in their tent,” Bernard says. “I don’t blame them.”
Bernard says local shelters are running past capacity right now, and finding beds for new people takes time.
“I worry about fire, significant frostbite, and death every single day,” Bernard says. “It’s all preventable. That’s always the hardest part for me to swallow.”
Camper Jason Gaddis says people are struggling at the encampments as it gets colder. He says he’s grateful for and counting on having a house to live in next week thanks to a new job.
“Worst case scenario, my dog, I would hate to do it but temporarily put him in a shelter where he’s going to be safe,” Gaddis says. “Then I would leave Peoria.”
Gaddis says he worries about other campers and hopes city officials will sit down and talk with them more often, better understanding their needs.
“I understand the taxpayers. If I’m a taxpayer, I want my yard to look good, but I also want to be proud of my city for standing behind me when times have been tough,” Gaddis says.
Peoria’s public camping ban is expected to take effect next week.
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