Space Blankets to the Rescue?

[lydy]

I don't know about where you live, but here in Minnesota the weather is deadly. On sub-zero days, I always wonder what the homeless are doing. Minneapolis doesn't have a huge lot of homeless, precisely because of the weather, but we have enough to constitute a real concern. What I'm wondering is, has anyone ever considered giving space blankets to the homeless. Some of them will still die of the cold, but it seems like a space blanket might keep some of them alive during a sub-zero night. Not that it takes sub-zero weather to kill; you can die in 30 F, if the circumstances stack up against you.

Has anyone ever tried this space blanket thing? Did it work? Was it a stupid idea?

Comments

[kaikaku.livejournal.com]

Space blankets are good. I carry them on backpacking trips, and I've used them a few times to supplement my sleeping bag on those super-cold nights. They aren't terribly comfortable, but they can help keep you warm.

I keep wondering what the homeless do here in Boston on really cold nights. Especially with the way the weather's been recently.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

I have seen homeless people in Toronto sitting over gratings, with blankets wrapped around them. Here there are better shelters, so I don't see them sleeping so much -- when I do, it's usually in metro stations. You'd die, you'd just die if you were out there and it was -25 before the windchill, space blanket or not.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

That's what the homeless do in New York, too. Minneapolis is much colder, though. And we have far fewer steam grates.

B

[joelrosenberg.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether or not I've considered it much, but I've done it on two occasions -- not recently. The problem, of course, is that it won't do anything significant about contact loss (I used one as a groundcloth, once, while trying to sleep more or less outside) -- and the ground sucks heat away much more effectively than the air. (I was sleeping in an ancient root cellar, and had carefully cleared the humus away to the hard ground; it was a lot better when I spread the groundcloth over the stuff.)

Winter camping was, in my younger days, a fair amount of fun -- but the big deal was always keeping warm, and that largely was an issue of getting enough insulation under you, and keeping it there. (Yes, I know that being homeless isn't the same thing, but some of the same principles apply)

Far as I can tell, the only way to let the homeless sleep without freezing is to get them inside, where there's some heat.

[lydy.livejournal.com]

Far as I can tell, the only way to let the homeless sleep without freezing is to get them inside, where there's some heat.

I'm all in favor. Just doesn't always happen, is all. I'm not thinking of using space blankets instead of clothes, heat, shelters,etc. I was thinking of it as in addition to, for people who end up out in the cold, anyway. Would a space blanket make huddling over a steam vent a little warmer? Would someone wrapped up in old coats and old blankets benefit from a space blanket in addition? The only hope (for the people sane enough to accept it) is decent shelters --- which to our shame we don't have. I'm less clear on the solution for the people who won't come in, most of them crazy (that's a technical term).

Goddamn Reagan, anyway.

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

On Wednesday I gathered up two boxes of old gloves, hats, coats and sweaters and took them down to Sharing and Caring Hands, Mary Jo Copeland's charity for the homeless. At the last minute I threw in an ancient, moth-eaten fur coat that had been languishing at the bottom of a cedar chest for years. I sincerely hope they give that coat to someone rather than throwing it out (it's full of little tears and smells musty). There is absolutely NOTHING that protects you from the weather better than a fur coat. This one is big, too. You could wrap yourself in that coat and sleep on the coldest ground and never feel it. I hope it's now in the hands of someone that can use it.

btw, Sharing and Caring Hands is on north 7th St. right next to the garbage burner, if anybody else feels inspired to give away some old gloves or sweaters, or even make a monetary donation. I don't know of a more effective way to get help directly to the poorest of the poor.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

I have nothing to say on the topic of this post. I just wanted to say Hi! I miss you. We should talk soon. Hugs!

MKK

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I've found a space blanket to offer approximately the same return of warmth as a lightweight down sleeping bag. (Haven't tried sleeping out in anything below 50's, though.)

I bought space blankets last year because I wanted to keep the heat out of the car when it was parked in the desert for several days, and they worked real well taped to the windows. But they also tore easily. Those were plain mylar sheets. I tink there are different things called "space blanket" and I think they have to be fairly sturdy to keep a sleeping person warm.

And you do have to have something under you as well.

K.

[homemakerj.livejournal.com]

Lydy! You woke up! I swear I was just thinking about you tonight and wondering if you were still having sleeping problems. I don't think I've seen you post since then, except for perhaps one long ago was it political post? I was hoping that Pamela would post so I could ask her how you are doing. You don't know me, but I know you vicariously from Pammy Dean mentioning you once in awhile. Uh...don't you be using one of those space blankets. You might fall asleep again. ;-)

[lydy.livejournal.com]

I'll sleep when I'm dead.

Damn, I wish I could actually do that.

[homemakerj.livejournal.com]

Gosh! Not only up, but feisty. ;-)

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I forgot to ask timprov's dad about this; he's dealt with several shelters in the area (not, happily for him, as a resident, but as a donor and coordinator of support). I think the thing is, space blankets might well be better than what people are getting, but most of the shelters I've dealt with have been wary of asking for too much new stuff. They're in so much need of so many things that they mostly just want to convey the impression that your old blankets are a help, better than nothing, not to be scorned. I feel pretty sure that if a bunch of people got together and gave them space blankets, they'd be thrilled. But they also are thrilled with whatever else we can manage.

It was pretty sad to get the acknowledgement letter from the shelter we support: they were pretty clearly trying not to push for more after people had just donated money to them, but at the same time, you could tell that they were just overwhelmed. Phrases like "far worse than usual" kept popping up. "More need than we expected." Sigh.