City Of Tulsa Works To Keep Homeless Safe During Winter Storm

The City of Tulsa says outreach teams are working to make sure those experiencing homelessness have a warm place to stay during the winter storms this week.

They're also discouraging people from bringing firewood downtown for the homeless. Teams have now responded to every known encampment in the Tulsa area to try to get as many people inside as possible. City officials say they used a drone on Saturday and found about a dozen people living in a south Tulsa homeless encampment.

They say outreach teams were also able to find shelter for those staying under the I-244 bridge near West Brady Street as well.

City officials say some people have tried to bring fire pits and firewood downtown and they say although it's kind of people to think of the homeless, this discourages them from seeking shelter and also causes a fire danger. So officials are asking people to allow outreach teams to do their jobs and get as many people inside as possible so they don't experience frostbite or hypothermia.

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The Tulsa shelters in operation include the City's Overflow Shelter at the former Juvenile Justice Detention Center, the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless, John 3:16 Mission, and Salvation Army. The City's overflow shelter has doubled its capacity for this weather event.