Social worker: For homeless people, summer is now as risky as winter

With ongoing climate change, summer can be just as dangerous as winter in terms of risks to life and health for people without housing, and this situation is expected to worsen in the future, the regional director for Bohemia at the Salvation Army, Jan Desenský, told CTK today. He said systemic measures similar to those implemented by cities in winter should be introduced in response. Field workers are currently distributing water and inviting people without shelter to day centers.

In humanitarian services, winter has traditionally been considered the critical period, but this is changing in recent years, Desenský said. “Data from southern countries show that extreme temperatures can be just as dangerous as frost,” he said. According to him, cities are not yet prepared with systemic plans for extreme temperatures, which can pose risks such as dehydration or heart problems.