SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) — The extreme cold temperatures here in the Bay Area are now leading to devastating consequences.

Santa Clara officials are investigating two deaths and possibly a third, which officials say are related to cold exposure. Two of the victims were transient residents of San Jose.

This is how county officials are trying to increase their outreach to help those most vulnerable to these harsh conditions hitting the Bay Area.

“We have been handing out blankets, doing outreach out the warming centers,” Deputy Director of the Office of Supportive Housing Kathryn Krasinski said.

With this most recent protracted cold snap and the harsh reality it could be the cause of at least three people’s death in the county, two of whom are transient.

Krasinski says they are rushing to meet the need. “We have the warming centers open throughout the county, and our services are packed,” she said.

“We, like other communities, are seeing an increased number of homeless and unsheltered,” said Kelli Kuykendall who works for housing and community services in Santa Rosa. “We have grown in numbers, now about 1K out on the streets.”

Kuykendall is the housing and community services manager and homeless services in Santa Rosa. For the third time in the last two months, they have opened up their warming center with Catholic Charities.

“We will have it open for six nights,” Kuykendall said.

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We are running our severe weather emergency centers. Our normal shelters are full,” said Gary Naja-Riece who is the Director of Homelessness and Whole Person Care Marin County.

He and the other county officials say teams are working around the clock to get spread the word about warming centers for society’s most vulnerable.

In the meantime, county officials say they have a message for the public about those unhoused and facing this latest challenge of brutal temperatures.

“Have compassion. If you have something to give, then please do so,” Krasinski said.