Exposure caused homeless man’s death last week in Bellingham
Though a homeless man was found dead last week after suffering from exposure or hypothermia, Whatcom County’s most recent rounds of extreme cold and snow have apparently not claimed any other lives.
The emergency department at St. Joseph’s hospital in Bellingham also has not seen a noticeable increase in the number of cold- or weather-related injuries or ailments, though spokesperson Bev Mayhew told The Bellingham Herald that the department’s “volume has been heavy.”
The homeless man who died was discovered at approximately 4 p.m. Jan. 7 near Parrberry’s Northwest Recycling, Whatcom Medical Examiner Dr. Gary Goldfogel told The Herald. Dr. Goldfogel said he has attributed the death to exposure/hypothermia.
Goldfogel did not have the name or the age of the homeless person at this time.
The National Weather Service is predicting gusty winds Wednesday evening, Jan. 15, and gradual warming through the weekend.
SEVERE WEATHER HOMELESS SHELTERS
Additional nighttime homeless shelters will open to help more people get out of the expected cold and snow, according to a press release from the City of Bellingham and the Whatcom County Health Department. The shelters will continue to operate for multiple evenings while temperatures remain low.
According to the release, the severe weather shelters scheduled to open are:
▪ Family Shelter: Located at the Garden Street United Methodist Church (1326 N. Garden St.), the shelter offers space to families with children. Check in before 4 p.m. on weekdays at Opportunity Council (1111 Cornwall Ave.) or after hours or on weekends by calling 360-593-7500.
▪ Seventh-Day Adventist Adult Shelter: Located at 5321 Waschke Road in North Bellingham, the shelter will be open to adults beginning Monday, Jan. 13.
▪ Fountain Community Church Adult Shelter: The emergency shelter will be open to adults on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Guests must check in by 6:30 p.m. at the Jubilee Station.
Updated shelter information is available online at whatcomcounty.us/3167/Homeless-Shelters or by calling the Emergency Winter Shelter Hotline at 360-788-7983.
The spelling of hospital spokesperson Bev Mayhew’s name was updated Jan. 23, 2020.
This story was originally published January 15, 2020 at 10:44 AM.
