The National Weather Service issued extreme cold advisories, warning of frostbite in parts of New England, the Northeast, Midwest and West over New Year’s 2018. Because frostbite can happen within 30 minutes in the frigid air, swathes of downtown events, polar plunges and more were cancelled throughout the U.S.
But homelessness is not something a city can simply cancel, so many opened City Hall’s doors for warming.
Jackson, Kentucky, Mayor Rose Wolfe told Mountain News WYMT that homelessness is an issue her city has always faced, but in extreme cold, the need to help has grown.
Any town that doesn’t accept the fact that they do have homeless [people] ... they are kidding themselves,” Wolfe said. “Every town has homeless [people].”
Wolfe echoed the animal safety message that reappears on social channels during cold snaps, saying, “It’s too cold for your pets to be outside ... much less a human being.”
If it’s too cold for you it’s too cold for your pet. Bring them INSIDE! pic.twitter.com/Pkh8Pw8pND
— ✪ Andrea ✪ (@Tao_30) December 5, 2013
While most communities rely on recreation centers and shelters, several in addition to Jackson used their government centers. The city of Muncie, Indiana, also used its seven fire stations in addition to keeping City Hall opened as warming centers through today, according to the Star Press. The city of Torrington, Connecticut, according to the Register Citizen, opened its City Hall Auditorium for daytime warming. Many other cities used their libraries to keep people out of the extreme cold.
