From the start of the intense cold spell on Saturday, January 3, until the night of Thursday, January 9, the humanitarian organization recorded 776 assists, of which 56 were women and 720 were men. A total of 365 people were temporarily housed in emergency shelters, and 342 food services were distributed.
The special operation was expanded to 28 Catalan municipalities, in coordination with local councils and following the Protecció Civil alert for sub-zero temperatures. In the Barcelona area, besides Cerdanyola del Vallès and Ripollet, actions were carried out in Badalona, Sabadell, Montcada i Reixac, Granollers, Mataró, Terrassa, and Vic, among others.
Entities such as the Fundació Arrels have demanded that reception facilities be activated preventively, without waiting for temperatures to drop to the minimum thresholds set by protocols.
A total of 314 people (234 volunteers and 80 technicians) and 59 vehicles participated in the deployed operations, integrated into the Social Emergency Units (UES) and Mobile Health Units (UMS). The teams offered thermal blankets, sleeping bags, and hot drinks. Sadly, two homeless people died in the Barcelona metropolitan area during this episode.
Social entities demand greater coordination and stable resources to address homelessness beyond specific emergency operations. In Cerdanyola, the Red Cross itself has recently warned of the increase in poverty and the number of people living on the streets.
