Fire Watch

What is it like to do the fire watch at Denison UCC? As I wrote earlier, Denison is a local church that the fire department wanted to shut down. They would only permit Denison to let people sleep there if they instituted a fire watch system. So, every day from 6 - 10 pm, in two-hour shifts, a pair of “fire watchers” inspect the church to ensure that there are no obstructions in the hallways, no signs of smoke, and the cigarette butts from the smoke break are out. 

Before coming to Cleveland, I did homeless outreach in another city. When I began, I knew there would be many stories of pain and hardship. It is not easy to be homeless no matter where you live. However, I was surprised by the joy of the people I spoke with and the hope that kept them alive on the streets. The people sleeping at Denison UCC were no different. Their joy, gratitude, and hope were evident, even in the middle of painful situations.

My partner and I spoke with one man who was soaking his frostbitten toes in tubs of water as he got ready for a smoke break, which happens every hour on the porch area. It was heartbreaking to watch him slowly put on his socks, knowing we couldn’t help him for fear of causing more pain. But we could listen, and we did, as he told his story. He wasn’t sure he’d make it in time to have a smoke, but he was able to walk out there with his feet feeling better. A small joy.

Another man, after a shower and wearing a fresh t-shirt, underwear, and socks, exclaimed, “Tomorrow is another day.” Hope. The fire watch volunteers along with the staff and other volunteers offer hope. The underclothing, provided by the volunteer who kept watch over the shower area, making sure only one person was in the shower at a time, offered hope. Wearing fresh underclothes seems a small thing, until they are no longer available on a regular basis. 

Honestly, I feel a lot of tension from these encounters, because I get to go home to fresh underclothes and a warm bed. That tension, though, is important. It’s important to recognize our privileges, because change, real change, cannot happen without people with privilege being willing to feel uncomfortable. As a white woman who is currently fairly well off, I am privileged. What I gave up to do the fire watch shift was my physical comfort for two hours as we climbed up and down the steps and a few hours of sleep. This was not much of a sacrifice honestly. Yet, it meant that people experiencing homelessness had a safe, warm place to spend the night.

If my words here speak to you, and you feel inspired to be uncomfortable, Mr. Rogers has good advice: “Look for the helpers. There are always people helping.” There are many ways to help.