City of Gloucester and Gloucester Fire Department Share Cold Weather Resources and Safety Tips

GLOUCESTER — Dangerously cold temperatures are being forecast for this weekend and early next week, so the City of Gloucester and Gloucester Fire Department would like to share safety tips and resources with residents. 

Forecasts call for wind chill temperatures below zero on Saturday and Sunday. Residents are advised to dress appropriately when going outdoors, and to make use of city resources if they are having difficulty staying warm. 

The City of Gloucester is home to a network of organizations and municipal departments that collaborate to provide warming centers to residents during dangerously cold temperatures.

Those facilities are:

• Action Inc., 180 Main St., provides overnight sheltering for those who are unhoused, operating from 4:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily, with a capacity of 16 beds and an extreme weather overflow policy. They also offer assistance with heating costs and potential system repairs for income-qualified households.
• The Open Door, 28 Emerson Ave., offers its dining room as a warming center with a capacity of 50 people. The Open Door offers free coffee, water and charging stations. Free hot meals are offered weekdays from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Their Client Services team also provides access to SNAP, emergency services, and vouchers for clothing and home goods.
• The Grace Center, 264 Main St., offers a warming center for up to 50 people Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The center provides meals, showers, vouchers, case management, and referrals for its clients. Extended hours are implemented during severe weather.
• Rose Baker Senior Center, 6 Manuel F. Lewis St., provides a warming center for up to 100 people, and during emergencies welcomes all residents. 
• The Sawyer Free Library, 2 Dale Ave., serves as a warming center for up to 150 people during its regular business hours. 

The National Weather Service provides the following safety tips for dealing with extreme cold weather:

When going outside:

• Wear layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing.
• Wear a hat.
• Try to stay dry and out of the wind.
• Cover your mouth to protect your lungs from extreme cold.
• Mittens, snug at the wrist, are better than gloves.

Protect your home’s pipes:

• Let hot and cold water trickle or drip at night from a faucet.
• Open cabinet doors to allow more heat to get to un-insulated pipes under a sink or near an outer wall.
• Make sure heat is left on and set no lower than 55 degrees.

If pipes freeze:

• Make sure you and your family knows how to shut off the water, in case pipes burst.
• NEVER try to thaw a pipe with an open flame or torch. Use a hair dryer instead.
• Always be careful of the potential for electric shock in and around standing water.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a silent, deadly killer claiming about 1,000 lives each year in the United States.

• Install a carbon monoxide detector.
• NEVER run generators indoors.
• NEVER use a gas oven to heat your home.
• If your heat goes out, keep warm indoors by closing off rooms you do not need, dressing in layers of lightweight clothing, and wearing a cap.

Vehicle Preparation:

• Check your battery
• Check your fluids (coolant, wiper fluid, oil, etc)
• Check your tires
• Have jumper cables
• Pack a blanket 

Animal and pet safety:

• Bring pets inside
• Provide shelter and fresh water
• Keep salt away from paws

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