With freezing temperatures expected to remain in the area through the week, area homeless shelters are concerned for those living on the streets or without utilities.

The homeless shelters in Hamilton and Middletown are at capacity, and local police departments have found people living in tents, under bridges and in city parks. Those who are found are “strongly encouraged” to seek temporary housing, especially during frigid nights.

Both Hope House in Middletown and Serve City in Hamilton are at capacity, according to their directors.

Sandra Snyder, who works at Hope House, said the men’s shelter and the women’s and children’s shelter have been full for several months. There are 46 men staying at Hope House and 52 women and children staying at the Center of Hope, she said.

Serve City has 12 female and 40 men occupants, said Linda Kimble, executive director. On Monday night, she said, even though was shelter was full, they allowed two additional people to stay there because the wind chill was below zero degrees.

Kimble said there are a number of people who have roofs over their heads, but they don’t have utilities.

When Hope House is full and called about possible housing, Snyder said they’re referred to Serve City or Serving the Homeless with Alternate Lodging Of Middletown (SHALOM).

SHALOM, a church-based homeless shelter, gives the homeless a place to stay from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. and provides them dinner and breakfast. Roy Ickes, director of SHALOM, said 22 homeless stayed at First Presbyterian Church on Central Avenue Monday night. SHALOM has room for 30 residents, Ickes said.

Typically, the homeless who stay with SHALOM are on the streets from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., but when temperatures drop below 15 degrees, First United Methodist Church, SHALOM’s host church, opens its doors during the day, he said.

Frigid temperatures also create havoc for fire fighters, said Brent Dominy, Deputy Chief of the Middletown Division of Fire. During extreme temperatures, when fire fighters are expected to be on scene for a lengthy time, Dominy said the fire department will bring in shelters, such as HAZMAT vehicles and city buses for the fire fighters.

It’s also important, he said, for the fire fighters to constantly circulate the water that’s on the fire trucks.

He said a fire scene also can become hazardous because the water quickly turns to ice, and when that happens, a city salt truck may be called.

Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing the rest of the week, said Myron Padgett, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington. High temperatures today are expected to reach 25 degrees with lows dipping to 5 degrees, he said.

Thursday’s and Friday’s lows are expected to be 13 with highs in the upper 40s. On Monday, he said, temperatures will reach the mid-40s.