Fires and More Security
As colder weather descends upon us, business owners are looking to spend more time updating their security and locking up while those without stable shelter look for somewhere warm to spend the nights, and sometimes start their own fires.
This leads to accusations that their fires are causing destruction, financial loss and safety issues.
“ The fire started around 8 am and ran for about 30 minutes, luckily it only took out a few tables and a small shed with nothing in it,” Geddy Fisk said of a recent incident at his warehouse worksite in Sparks near the Wild Island Water Park. “If it hit the shipping container full of gas tanks we would be looking at a bigger loss than a few hundred dollars.”
Geddy asked for his place of work to remain nameless. It sits next to railroad tracks on more than three acres of land. The fire took place at the farthest corner of the land and only took out a few small items. As the fire department came to put out a few embers glowing, Geddy said he was told it was a homeless camp that caught on fire due to high wind and a small campfire. Cans of Vienna sausages and bottles of Mountain Dew laid among what was left of the fire.
“We have started locking the cars at night and making sure we have extra security cameras and alarms set during the colder time of the year,” John Williams a co-worker of Geddy said of extra precautions. “ We've had many times where we jump into a car in the morning to go out on the job and find chip bags, and water bottles that weren’t there the day before.”
The cameras not only are used to protect merchandise within the business but to keep an eye on the street where the employees park. “This street … seems to have had an influx of break-ins and the cameras are more of a precaution to keep our employees safe,” he said.
With colder weather, the Reno Hope bus has gone back to collecting donations and distributing them to those in need.
Perceptions of a Warehouse Owner and a Panhandler
Bryan Gregory a local warehouse owner in a nearby area of Sparks said he’s had his own challenges. “ We had a problem of having spare metals and batteries stolen by people looking to make a quick dollar,” he said.
Gregory said he recently spent a few thousand dollars to put in a 12-foot fence and lined it with barbed wire and a new security system to keep warehouse supplies secure.
“I don’t know who is stealing at the end of the day, but the tents on the other side of the tracks doesn't help the perception of the community that lives in them. It seems easy for people to come to conclusions as they are so close to the businesses at night,” he said.
Tim Doss, a junk haul entrepreneur, who runs the Reno Hope Bus which hands out gently used clothes to the homeless community in the area, is back to using Facebook to organize donation drives and drop offs.
“I lost my wallet and that made me lose everything, the only thing I own right now is my backpack, this sign, and my sweet bike over there,” Keith said, one of those who could benefit from the Hope Bus initiative.
Keith, who sleeps in a tent in the area, asked for his picture to not be taken. “ I know homeless people get a bad rap for stealing things but I believe I'm being looked after if I do the right thing,” he said. “All I do is take my posts every day and ask for food or money, I never steal and I feel as if this is the only legal thing I can do,” he added on why he panhandles.
Keith carts around his backpack, his green bike, and usually a two-liter bottle of pineapple Fanta.
“ I’m not too worried. I have plenty of clothes back in my tent that I've found or collected, and I always give back when I have too many clothes,” he said of colder weather.
Keith hopes for his life to be back on track as soon as he gets another license. “ As soon as the DMV gets me my license I can start applying for jobs, and get a place to live that's not a small yellow tent on the tracks, and hopefully get started again on life,” he said.