Cold Weather Shelters in Escambia County: How'd it Go during the Recent Cold Snap?

So far as I've been told, there were no hypothermia deaths during the recent area cold weather event...

Leading up to the recent three-day, near record cold snap the area went through last weekend--there were naturally concerns about those less fortunate in our area.  Specifically, there were worries about vulnerable citizens and the unhoused who may not have been able to weather the storm.

So I asked questions about what our plan was.  I blogged about it too.  And I spoke with folks intimately familiar with the homeless community as well as county staff at EOC.

Obviously--we are not Buffalo, New York, where they saw an immense blizzard and snowstorm that covered their city with up to four feet of snow and where three dozen + of their citizens perished due to that historic cold weather event.  But we were going to be below freezing for multiple days in Escambia County-- so I was concerned.  I wasn't alone in my concern(s).

The county did not open any of our facilities for cold weather shelters.  

Nor did we pay any group or entity any tax dollars to shelter folks from the cold.  

We had neither a contract nor an MOU/MOA with any entity to house citizens from the cold--but rather a verbal agreement with existing shelters (Waterfront Rescue Mission and REAP Lodge/Max Well Respite Center) to house those who needed sheltering from the storm as the temperatures dipped below 40 degrees.

Having now spoken to several individuals who were out and about during the cold weather event, I'm told that, with a few small exceptions (one couple was turned away as they had been previously banned.  And they were subsequently housed at a hotel for three days at someone else's expense.  A woman and her two children were turned away from one shelter the day prior to the cold weather event as the temperature had not dropped enough to trigger the sheltering protocols--but subsequently admitted to the shelter the next day when it was below 40 degrees) the plan worked as envisioned.  So far as I've been told--no citizens have perished from hypothermia in this last cold snap.

According to an individual with intimate, firsthand knowledge;  "We did outreach and drove around checking on homeless populations and offered rides.  Most declined stating that they did not want to go to a shelter due to the need to look after their belongings that would have been left behind.  At the Max Well Center we ended up housing 8 additional women and two children above the folks aready there, and at Waterfront [rescue mission] we never got to the capacity of 200 --we were at about 150 citizens throughout tht event."

I'm glad we had an action plan, and thankful that no citizens perished.  I'm of the understanding that the protocol will be refined going forward to eliminate any snafus--but that also most who were a part of the entire evolution (on the ground, in the know) feel it went about as well as could be expected.

Life Threatening Cold Temperatures Coming--Where are Escambia's Cold Weather Shelters?

If your're down on your luck and unsheltered in Escambia County--where can you go to get out of this dangerous cold weather that is fast approaching?

I've been contacted by some individuals concerning the upcoming historically low temperatures and wind chills expected over the next several days.

Some are very concerned about those who are unsheltered.  I am too.

So with expected life-threatening cold temperatures coming beginning Thursday evening--where can someone go in Escambia County to escape these dangerous conditions overnight?

Some have suggested opening the Bay Center --however that seems like a long-shot although I have asked about it.

Meanwhile, I am told that citizens can call 2-1-1 to find a shelter.

I've also been told that The Alfred Washburn Center, the Waterfront Rescue Mission, and the Maxwell Respite Center of REAP will all be opening Thursday evening with expanded capacity to assist with providing cold weather shelters for the homeless.

However I'm hearing from some intimately familiar that "Maxwell is not taking anyone even though there's room for 50 more--and Alfred Washburn has no inside facilities, and Waterfront has recently refused a couple that didn't have the $10 cover charge.  I'm now also told by someone who knows that the Alfred Washburn Center will NOT be a shelter.

So I'm concerned when the temps hit the teens and the wind chills are in single digits in the next 72 hours--folks might be desperate.

I'm just worried folks won't know where to go because it was not mentioned in the county's press release yesterday.

Knowing what I know about the numbers of homeless individuals in the county (nobody knows and can tell me what the real count is)--I worry some will not know where to go.  I'm worried cold weather like this could result in death.

So later this morning I am going to speak with staff to see if we can't provide additional cold weather capacity with (some?) county facility.  Why can't we do this and work with Red Cross to staff it?

Now's the time to get ahead of this, before someone dies of hypothermia.