Fairmont stylist watches out for most vulnerable during heat wave
Jun. 22—FAIRMONT — While Fairmont suffers under an oppressive heat wave in the 90-degree range, one business owner is doing her part to ensure the city's most vulnerable can survive it.
Chelsie Washington, owner of Braids and Beauty by Chelsie on Cleveland Avenue, placed a cooler filled with water outside her door. A sign posted above it invites anyone who needs it to partake. Washington said with the high temperatures, it's important to make sure people who can't be in a shelter or anyplace else not pass out from dehydration.
"Even if they're just out there splashing their face with the water," Washington said. "I've seen a few people using the water and the ice just to keep cool whenever I didn't have any more yesterday. So yeah, just to keep them from passing out in the hot weather and everything."
It's hot enough the heatwave even took out some important equipment inside the Mr. Taco Taco Truck parked next to the Post Office. The business' owner said it was closing early for the day to ensure they didn't serve food compromised by the heat. This unfortunately deprived Fairmont residents of the eatery's famous elote, perfectly balanced with parmesan, lemon and chili powder on a bed of mayonnaise slathered perfectly on top of the sweetest and juiciest corn kernels.
Washington said she sees a lot of backpackers and people who are homeless by her building. With the temperature potentially increasing tomorrow, Washington wanted to do something to give back to the community and help people who are in need. She began putting water out two days ago, and plans to keep doing it into Saturday.
Seated in Chelsie's chair having her hair done, Liz Orr said she's been coping with the heat by using her water hose liberally and staying inside. She has a little farmer past Prickett's Fort.
"I think it's awesome she's doing that," Orr said. "She posted it on her Facebook and everything and everyone thinks it's awesome and just very generous. We need water, it's just so hot."
While Washington tried to help in whatever way she could, over at the Fairmont Union Rescue Mission, staff did the same on a larger scale. Development Director{span} Jacci Maier said the Mission has a lot of water on hand to give to anyone who needs it, or even provide something to a person who might need something to hold them over till meal time. {/span}
{span}While the Mission has no day space for people who are homeless to seek shelter in during a heat wave, Maier said they do have a low barrier shelter for overnight stays. Registration is between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Families who need shelter are placed elsewhere.{/span}
For daylight hours, Maier made a few other suggestions where people can seek shelter. The public library is one, with charging stations, water and air conditioning. Another option is the Friendship Room at the corner of Locust and Cleveland avenues, which also has charging stations, snacks, water and other amenities to make life a little more tolerable in the heatwave.
Maier said eventually the Mission wants to create a day room in one of the Mission's buildings. It would be a place for homeless residents to stay during extreme weather events, between meal times. With each summer hotter than the one before, Maier expects such a room would find more and more use.
"When the temperatures get this hot, especially when you're in the city pavement, concrete, that's hotter than normal," Maier said. "You can get dehydrated very quickly. And some people don't realize that they're feeling it. And, you can tell when they've gotten to that point of being dangerously dehydrated because they become very lethargic. You got to kind of know, is this drugs? You can kind of yeah read the signs but you know it's scary. So we got to take care of them."
Maier said homeless residents know the Mission is a safe space for them. She added she's seen in years past when one person who is homeless would alert shelter staff of someone who was in danger from the heat. After being notified, the Mission would notify EMS who could come out and rescue the individual.
Most Fairmont residents seem to be aware of less fortunate people who occupy the city as well. She said people stop randomly and try to hand out water or money to people who need it. One of the difficult things is trying to get homeless residents who are living with mental health challenges to come in from the heat when they've been off their medication. Maier reflected on the humanity people show to animals when one is in distress.
"We do that for our pets," she said. "Shouldn't we do that for human beings?"
The Friendship Room is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 2-4 p.m.
Reach Esteban at efernandez@timeswv.com
