'Code blue' across region
Philadelphia, Camden, and most suburban counties are preparing to shelter those in need as the mercury drops.
With bitter cold weather expected to linger for several days, and yet another winter snowstorm possible Tuesday into Wednesday, Philadelphia and Camden and most suburban counties have issued or extended "code-blue" alerts aimed at moving homeless people off the streets and into shelters.
The temperature is expected to drop well into the single digits across the region Sunday night. According to AccuWeather, Monday will be the coldest of the next four days, with a high of 19.
Conditions are expected to rebound into the upper 30s Wednesday, when snow and rain are predicted.
Philadelphia, which declared its alert Thursday night, has issued about 16 this winter, said Mark McDonald, spokesman for Mayor Nutter. City shelters have nearly 2,300 beds and have not yet reached capacity, he said.
The city declares an alert when the temperature or windchill factor drops to 20 degrees.
McDonald said teams put together by Project Home, a private group, are dispatched to check on anybody reported on the street during extreme weather and move them indoors.
In Bucks County, Advocates for the Homeless and Those in Need, a volunteer organization that works with the county, has called 33 code blues this winter. That compares with 36 all last winter, said Penny Martin, program coordinator for the group.
She said there had been a substantial increase in new people served this year.
"We're seeing new people every night," Martin said, attributing that to the recession and slow economic recovery. This year, about two dozen people have been served nightly, she said.
Temporary nighttime shelter is provided by Langhorne Terrace Ministries, 1271 E. Maple Ave., Langhorne, Martin said. Anyone who wants to volunteer to staff the shelters, which move from church to church weekly, can call 215-550-3868, she said.
Delaware County's code-blue alert precipitates a multiagency effort to move people off the streets and provide additional services to the homeless, elderly, and other at-risk residents, county officials said.
Delaware County institutes code blue when the temperature drops below 32 degrees. People are placed in shelter programs operated by the Salvation Army and by Connect, an agency run by the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Montgomery County has also issued a cold-weather alert. Shelters are at the Salvation Army in Norristown and Pottstown.
The Camden County Office of Emergency Management has advised all municipal coordinators that it would be appropriate to open warming centers during the code-blue alert.
How to Get Help
These counties have set up hotlines for people seeking shelter:
Philadelphia: 215-232-1984.
Bucks: 1-800-810-4434.
Burlington: 856-234-8888 or 1-866-234-5006.
These counties have pickup points:
Montgomery: Homeless Outreach Center, Building 53, Norristown State Hospital.
Delaware: 69th Street Terminal, Upper Darby; Salvation Army, Chester.
No information was available for C hester, Camden, and Gloucester Counties. Residents can call municipalities for guidance.EndText