***UPDATED 12/10***
In response to continued nighttime temperatures in the upper 20s, the City and County of Sacramento, coordinated by the County Office of Emergency Services, are keeping the nighttime warming center open Tuesday night, through Wednesday morning. The Center opened Wednesday night, December 4, and has been opened each night to provide a place for people to get in out of the cold. The joint warming center will close Wednesday morning as nighttime temperatures are expected to rise.
The criteria for this response, according to the County/City Severe Weather Guide, are extreme cold/freeze warnings for three days accompanied by night temperatures of 32 degrees or less.
Warming Center Location
The location of the warming center is the Southside Park Pool Building – 2115 6th Street, Sacramento, CA. The capacity is approximately 60-75 people. Snacks and chairs will be provided; however there will be no beds provided.
If the center reaches capacity, backup facilities are being arranged. Staffing will be provided by the Office of Emergency Services, the Department of Human Assistance, City Parks & Recreation and Medical Reserve Corp and Hands On volunteers. Security will be provided by Sacramento City Police Department.
City Animal Services will supply 10 kennels for larger dogs, and small carriers for smaller animals. A location on the site has been identified as a possible animal holding area. The animals of the people using the warming center will not be transferred to City Animal Services.
With winter quickly approaching, representatives of the City and County of Sacramento Office of Emergency Services are monitoring the weather and advising residents to take winter precautions during periods of night time low temperatures spanning several days. Below are several tips and recommendations for dealing with the cold weather.
- Check on elderly family members, friends, or neighbors. Elderly and those with serious medical conditions are at risk. Please be sure to check in on community members that might be vulnerable during this cold spell.
- Bring your pets indoors. A dog or cat left outside in severe cold weather can die quickly from exposure. Bring your pets inside when temperatures start to dip near freezing.
- Carbon Monoxide is a “silent killer.” It is not OK to heat the inside of your home with any kind of BBQ, propane heater, or any other fuel fired equipment. Only use heaters that were installed with your home and those that are designed to be used indoors. Make sure that your natural gas furnaces and other appliances are in good, clean working order.
- Freezing pipes. Insulate outdoor pipes that lead into your home. Seal with caulk around the pipes that lead into and out of your home. Inside your home, leave bathroom and under sink cabinets open to help warm the water. If your pipes freeze, leave your tap on and call the plumber. You can defrost your pipes using a hair dryer on a low setting, working your way slowly from the faucet to where your pipe enters the wall. City residents who need to have their water turned off in order to make repairs to their lines may call 311 or County residents can call 916-875-RAIN or 875-7246 for more information.
- Reduce your vehicle speed. If the temperature stays below 32 degrees, there will be a high probability you will see black ice. Be extra cautious when going over bridges and/or overpasses. Leave extra spacing between vehicles in front of you.
- Watch for tree limbs. As temperatures dip, trees become vulnerable to limbs snapping. In such instances, City emergency response crews will arrive on scene and work diligently to restore the free-flow of traffic or abate hazardous situations. City residents may call 311 or for service or County residents can call 916-875-5171 for more information.
Please visit Sacramento Ready for more information.
