Homelessness is a widespread and complex issue. Unsheltered homeless people account for 30 percent of the homeless population, resulting in the rise of encampments that harbor disease. The increase in people living without shelter and those who are at risk of becoming homeless is caused by a variety of factors.
Having no access to water, sanitation services, trash services, or proper food storage, these camps substantially increase the risk of illness for their residents, as well as for the city as a whole. In many encampments, residents are using flammable materials such as pallets, bedding, and open flames for cooking and heat. Encampments usually consist of makeshift tents, cardboard, and other materials. They are found beside buildings in metropolitan areas, under freeways and bridges, inside drainage tunnels, within wooded areas, and inside alleyways. In encampments, trash can be overwhelming and likened to hoarding.
Dangers of Homeless Encampments
Living outdoors carries certain risks. Without proper waste disposal, these risks exponentially increase when throngs of people live outdoors. Taking special precautions is key when cleaning a homeless encampment or "sweeping" one where people still reside. Most homeless encampments lack running water or protective equipment and are crowded and dirty. As long as homeless encampments exist, the risk of Hepatitis A will remain high. The disease is spread mostly by contact with infected feces, which is a legitimate concern in areas where there is no basic plumbing. Illicit drugs can also spread the disease in settings with limited hygiene. The homeless population is facing diseases the world hasn't seen since medieval times. Typhus is an illness spread by fleas living on rats and other animals. The risk of contracting Tuberculosis, Influenza, Pneumonia, Diptheria, and Meningitis is high among people living in homeless encampments. Whether abandoned or occupied, homeless encampments pose a serious fire risk. A spark from a lighter or passing vehicle can ignite the cardboard and other debris that are usually found in these camps.
Homeless Encampment Clean Up
Without the resources to help themselves recover, more homeless people live on city streets. The prevalence of homeless people in local communities concerns local businesses, city officials, and institutions. Because of liability concerns, government agencies and businesses avoid hiring their own employees to clean up homeless encampments. Attempting to remove these structures without training or equipment exposes workers to hypodermic needles, dead animals, and body fluids. Hopefully, there will come a day when there is no homeless encampment in America due to the combined efforts of local and federal governments. Until then, our professional junk removal services here at AAA Rousse are designed to remove biohazardous dangers safely and completely, protecting the overall health of the region.
AAA Rousse takes cleaning up homeless camps very seriously. Our company understands the human factor involved in cleaning homeless camps and similar tasks in Florida. We remove waste, garbage, old furniture, and even hazardous waste. The situation is a challenging one and must be handled correctly with the appropriate level of compassion. We are familiar with the homeless camp cleanup process at AAA Rousse, which is what makes us such a reliable source.
