WEATHER

Salvation Army going out with cold water to help homeless people amid heat wave

Jul 17, 2023, 5:00 PM | Updated: Sep 11, 2023, 11:41 am

a man drinks iced milk during a heat wave...

Robert Malloy, who is homeless, drinks iced milk to cool off during a heat wave in Salt Lake City on Monday, July 12, 2021. (Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)

(Kristin Murphy/Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY — Crews of people are working to help homeless people in Salt Lake City stay safe in the heat as the Wasatch Front continues to reach triple-digit temperatures.

The Salvation Army of Salt Lake City is going out each day there’s the National Weather Service issues an excessive heat warning. 

The heat is breaking new records, with a high of 106 degrees recorded in Salt Lake City on Sunday. 

Cpt. James Combs with the Salvation Army said they’re handing out sunscreen and cold bottles of water to those in need. 

“We want to make sure that those who don’t have the means to provide for themselves–especially in this hot weather–are taken care of,” Combs said. 

Combs said they’ve been doing this for years, so they’ve gotten pretty good at finding unsheltered people in need. 

But their resources are starting to dwindle. 

Something we’re kind of lacking at the moment is extra sunscreen to give out to our friends who are on the streets,” Combs said. 

 You can do this too, Comba said. He suggested keeping a few extra cold water bottles handy to give out. 

Along with the water and sunscreen donations, the Salvation Army’s building on 400 South and 900 West is open as a cooling center. 

Related: “Cool Zones” can provide you some relief from the heat

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Salvation Army going out with cold water to help homeless people amid heat wave