On a completely random note, I just wanted to call out today that the city (well, multiple agencies) were under 95 clearing the encampments in Fishtown and Port Richmond. I noticed it when I went to get coffee at the Starbucks in Fishtown Crossing Shopping Center, and assumed it would get press of some sort with the inevitable hand wringing around wHaT aRe wE dOiNg for tHe ViCtIms.
So, rather than contribute to the conjecture, I decided to wade into the effort and talk to a city employee to ask all of the inevitable questions. Here is what I saw and what I was told.
The city agencies I saw onsite:
City Department of Health and Human Services
Police
Fire Department
Sanitation
Kensington Hospital Mobile Wound Clinic Truck
CLIP
What I was told.
PennDot started canvasing the site 2+ weeks ago posting notices that it would be cleared on this date. In addition, outreach workers were deployed from that date until today to proactively canvas the people living in the encampments to alert them to the coming action and to help get them into treatment (or shelters) in advance if possible.
It was explained everyone in the encampment was eligible to enter city shelter facilities if they were not using drugs or a treatment program if they were.
Today: Said agencies arrived to start the work. I knew something was up when I pulled under 95 on my way to the Starbucks and noticed workers wearing Orange Vests talking to some of the residents.
The person I talked to was with the Managing Directors office of the department of HHS for the city. She gave me that background and said that everyone on the site was councelled today on their options. For those who did not want to enter treatment or a shelter, the outreach workers helped them pack up their stuff (from what I saw, they were being very respectful...literally going through these folks "belongings" to help them sort through what they wanted to keep or leave behind). Anything that they kept was being packed up respectfully in whatever containers the people had (luggage, carts, etc).
For people who wanted to enter treatment or a shelter, the same was happening, but instead of packing it into carts or luggage, the outreach workers helped the individuals pack their stuff into self storage bins. Apparently, the city stores these bins in storage facillities at their own expense for the duration the individual is in treatment or a shelter so that the decision isn't dependent or influenced by the loss of their belongings.
Lastly, the site was being extensively cleaned. There were sanitation department employees on site with trash bags, pickers, blowers, and multiple dumpsters. There was even a backhoe on site to lift bigger things if needed (btw it was working overtime).
All and all, it was the first time in a long time I witnessed something and it felt good to be a taxpayer and thought the government was working well. Obviously, I have a vested interest as I live right there, but it felt as though the city was handling it in the most humane and organized way possible.
The entire area already looks a million times better.
Last edited by 3rd&Brown; Oct 26, 2023 at 8:18 PM.
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