At a meeting in early May, the Macon-Bibb Commission approved a contract with new England Trauma Services to assist with public encampment remediation services, on an as-needed basis. The company would be used when the cleanup included threats to public health, like human waste, needles, and other hazardous material.

“Our crews have been doing this work for several years, but in some situations, we needed to bring in experts trained in removing specific – and potentially dangerous – types of material,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “While we are trying to help people get into housing, we also need to make sure we are taking care of our own employees and not putting them in harm’s way.”

He stressed these cleanups occur after social service outreach efforts are conducted by Root Analytics. That outreach helps get people needed services, transportation home, and even access to safer living at the Brookdale Resource Center.

“Our goal is to help people experiencing homelessness get on the path to stable and safe housing; we want to make sure we’re taking care of the people who need us the most,” he says. However, some people do not avail themselves of the services and housing, but the presence of the camps can create public safety and health threats from open fires and other materials being left out.