Agencies and public officials in St. Joseph County are poising themselves to open warming centers in case of extreme wind-chill temperatures.

The centers could open at any time this week, said Luther Taylor, director of the St. Joseph County Emergency Management Agency.

This would be the first go at a new effort — just finalized this week — to protect people from severe cold.

Two basic conditions would need to be met, according to the guidelines Taylor provided:

— Local homeless shelters would have to first meet their capacities for admitting people under weather amnesty rules.

— The wind chill would need to be sustained at 20 below zero or colder. Frost bite can occur in five minutes of exposure at that temperature.

County officials would then decide where to offer the warming centers. The options are Battell Center in Mishawaka and O’Brien Recreation Center, Martin Luther King Center and LaSalle Recreation Center in South Bend.

The American Red Cross of St. Joseph County has at least 25 cots and blankets ready in case beds are needed, said Director John Pinter.

The wind chill could reach minus-10 to minus-20 from now through Friday and Saturday, but that will depend on wind gusts, said meteorologist Andrew Sweeney at WSBT News. As usual, the lowest temperatures will be at night.

The warming centers would be open for 24-hour periods. They wouldn’t offer food or refreshments, but referrals could be made to places offering free meals and such. Nor would they offer medical supplies or care.

Pets wouldn’t be allowed in the centers, but service animals would. And no unattended children younger than age 16 would be allowed.

County officials would announce whether the warming centers are open through local news media. Meanwhile, if you want to check to see if the warming centers are open, call the United Way’s toll-free line by dialing 211.

The new effort evolved out of the county's emergency plan for cooling centers in cases of extreme heat.

Staff writer Joseph Dits:
jdits@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6158