Newark Calls 'Code Blue' As Cold Weather Approaches (What To Know)

NEWARK, NJ — Newark is calling a "Code Blue" alert as weather forecasters predict a cold snap that will last through the week.

The city's latest Code Blue will begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19 and last until 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 24. The alert takes place when temperatures are expected to drop to 32 degrees, or when there is a wind chill factor of zero degrees.

Here are some important things to keep in mind if the thermometer starts plunging, according to an announcement from Mayor Ras Baraka and Ketlen Baptiste Alsbrook, director of the Department of Health and Community Wellness:

BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR – The Health Department urges Newark residents to take precautions against the serious illnesses that can arise from extreme cold, particularly for vulnerable populations such as seniors and individuals with chronic health issues or mental health conditions. Citizens are also encouraged to check on their neighbors who may be isolated from friends and family.

KEEPING THE HEAT ON – The City of Newark Housing Code requires all property owners to supply heat from October 1 through May 1 between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. at a minimum inside temperature of 68°F, and between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. at a minimum inside temperature of 65°F. To report no heat or hot water in your apartment, call the Division of Code Enforcement at (973) 733-6471.

HOMELESS SHELTERS – The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services and its partners are dedicated to helping residents in need during a code blue. Shelters will be open during extended hours and will increase their bed capacity. Street outreach workers are available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week, reaching out to individuals without addresses and encouraging them to enter emergency shelters or visit drop-in or warming centers. If you see someone who is unsheltered and needs non-emergency services, please text “Path Home” to 855-11. This message will be sent to street outreach teams, who will locate the individual and offer assistance. For more information about sheltering services, please contact one of the shelters listed below or reach the Office of Homeless Services at (973) 877- 9481, available Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Newark residents with insufficient heating at home can visit the following recreation centers during designated hours:

Newark public safety officials offered the following tips on keeping homes safe and coping with extreme winter weather:

• Keep the house heated to a minimum of 68°F. The temperatures inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 68°F will not keep the inside walls from freezing.
• Open hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving within the pipes will prevent them from freezing.
• Check on seniors to make sure that they are warm and dry.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Check all windows and doors for drafts. Place plastic if you feel a draft.
• Do not leave space heaters unattended.
• Do not use generators indoors.
• It is illegal to use kerosene heaters indoors.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Take inventory of emergency items.

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