A guest staying at Multnomah County’s overflow shelter at the Multnomah County East Building in Gresham died Saturday after collapsing and receiving CPR outside the facility, according to 911 dispatch records. The cause of death is under investigation.
Although the County closed emergency shelters earlier in the week, as part of the transition and on-going cold-weather response, the County expanded overflow beds across its shelter system. The County opened a 24-hour overflow shelter in the County building in Gresham on Friday and Saturday after temperatures in East County remained frigid due to bitter Gorge winds and freezing rain. East County cities, Gresham first responders, outreach workers and 211 worked with the County to get those in need to the shelter.
The guest who had stayed at the shelter overnight Friday had walked outside Saturday when a person in the shelter saw them collapse. Shelter staff immediately responded, administering CPR until paramedics arrived and continued life-saving measures. The person was transported to a hospital where they were pronounced dead. No further information is available at this time.
Weather drives record breaking numbers of 911 calls, emergency visits for falls
The prolonged weather emergency broke records on many health-related fronts. Calls to 911 dropped on Saturday, Jan. 20, to 440 after reaching a peak of 578 medical emergency calls on Friday, Jan. 19, 507 calls on Thursday, Jan. 18, and 566 calls on Wednesday, Jan. 17. Those represent the three busiest days for medical assistance since the deadly Heat Dome in June 2021, when the volume for medical emergency calls reached 550.
The Health Department reports that injuries from falls continued to drive many emergency department and urgent care visits, with 201 visits on Saturday, Jan. 20. On a typical winter day, there are about 40 visits to emergency departments for falls.
The number of visits related to falls on Friday — 228 — reached the highest number since records were established in 2016. That means one in five visits to the emergency room were for trauma related to a fall. On Thursday, Jan. 18, there were 198, 169 on Wednesday, Jan. 17 and 69 on Tuesday, Jan. 16. All told, since Jan. 12, there have been 1,035 visits to emergency departments or urgent care for falls.
As of today, Sunday, Jan. 21, the Medical Examiner has identified four suspected hypothermia deaths that occurred since the emergency was declared on Friday, Jan. 12. Those deaths are under investigation and occurred:
- Monday, Jan. 15, a man found in the 97211 zip code.
- Monday, Jan. 15, a man found in the 97214 zip code
- Saturday, Jan. 13, a man found in the 97217 zip code
- Friday, Jan. 12, a man found in the 97232 zip code.
Investigators say confirmation will not be complete for several weeks to months.
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