With dangerous heat settling in this week Lincoln’s Alternate Response Program is monitoring the city’s homeless population to make sure they are staying safe. LPD Investigator Melissa Ripley is the department’s homeless outreach coordinator and says they are working with Centerpointe’s street outreach team all across Lincoln.
“We are taking calls that are coming in through our Alternate Response line and checking on people who we know are are unsheltered and we pretty much know where their encampments are at.”
She says the primary items the team is delivering include water, sunscreen and bug spray.
Ripley says they are also directing individuals to the cooling stations set up across the city, including recreation centers, libraries, and senior centers. Matt Talbott Kitchen also extends hours during extreme heat. She says through their combined efforts they have seven people that can check all sections of the city where homeless encampments are located.
“Between all of us, we really try to keep track of where people are and stay in communication with each other,” Ripley says.
The City of Lincoln has provided a number of tips on staying cool during this heatwave. You can click here for more details.