Youngstown Mayor Derrick McDowell called on city department leaders to coordinate emergency safety measures as temperatures dropped into the single digits. The mayor’s office released a photo of a homeless person's tent to highlight the urgent need for community concern during the deep freeze.

The mayor joined a Catholic Charities outreach team to check on a resident living in a tent behind a building. The visit was part of a broader effort to move unsheltered individuals into warming stations or hotels as wind chills reached -7 degrees.

Emergency response actions

City departments are operating under specific directives to protect residents and property:

  • Police and Outreach: Officers are actively checking under bridges and in camps to provide hats, gloves, and jackets. Three campers were recently convinced to move into indoor shelters.
  • Fire Department: The Fire Chief is overseeing the distribution of smoke detectors and issuing warnings about the dangers of space heaters and carbon monoxide from cars running in garages.
  • Street Department: A snow emergency is in effect, with all city plow trucks and supplementary contractors deployed to clear streets and enforce parking bans.
  • Water and Utilities: The Water Department is providing tips to safeguard property against freezing pipes.

Vulnerable residents at risk

The mayor urged residents to check on senior citizens and bring pets indoors immediately. He emphasized a collective responsibility to help those in need during these challenging moments.

The urgency of these measures follows a recent tragedy on the city’s north side. Early Thursday morning, a man was found dead in a tent on Ridge Avenue. Police reports state the victim was discovered stiff and unresponsive with "frost all over his body". The county coroner is investigating.

Residents requiring assistance or wishing to report a concern should call 2-1-1, the city's 24/7 resource for assistance.