Baltimore prepares to care for unhoused people during Code Blue alert

Wind gusts to plunge wind chill into teens

Darcel Donofrio, front, and her husband, Romeo Donofrio, of Pikesville, bring weekly meals to people at an encampment near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in April 2022. Darcel Donofrio observed that the homeless “need to be reminded that they have character and dignity, and that they are people of value like everyone else.”

Interim Commissioner of Health Mary Beth Haller has issued a Code Blue Extreme Cold Alert for Baltimore for Tuesday through Thursday morning with wind chills expected to drop to 13 degrees overnight and to remain below 20 over the next two days.

The Baltimore Health Department declares Code Blue alerts when temperatures are forecast to fall to 13 degrees or lower, wind chill included, or when conditions are severe enough to represent a danger to people’s health.

National Weather Service forecasters called for temperatures to dip to 22 degrees Tuesday night and wind gusts of up to 38 mph to develop.

Wednesday’s high is expected to reach 33 degrees, according to the service, with gusts blowing at up to 32 mph.

Meteorologists expect temperatures to drop into the low 20s and wind gusts to reach 22 mph overnight Wednesday before more temperate conditions — temperatures topping 34 and winds calming to about 7 mph — return Thursday morning.

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City health officials said the extreme cold conditions could pose significant health risks to residents within the City of Baltimore, including frostbite and hypothermia and, in extreme cases, the potential for fatalities among individuals who must be in the open for long.

“As we continue to experience periods of extreme cold weather, we will continue our work to protect residents in need,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. “Please take heed of the impending cold, check on neighbors and friends, and access the resources made available by our agencies and partners.”

The declaration activates a range of shelter and assistance services on the part of the city and affiliated agencies, including services for those experiencing homelessness.

Adults, couples and families in need of emergency shelter are encouraged to contact the Baltimore City Shelter Hotline at 443-984-9540, the department said.

City-funded shelters will allow guests who are already in place to remain where they are at least through Thursday and ensure that anyone experiencing homelessness and wanting shelter is accommodated, the department said.

The Salvation Army’s FeedMore mobile canteens will circulate through the city, the department said, providing hot drinks, meals, blankets, clothes and other items to individuals experiencing homelessness.

A list of City Homeless Shelters and Services is available through the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services (MOHS), including information about the MOHS FY25 Winter Shelter & Code Purple Plan.

Those seeking other forms of help, such as meal distribution for vulnerable adults, help with weatherization services or energy assistance are asked to consult the health department’s website at https://health.baltimorecity.gov/emergency-preparedness-response/code-blue for information.

“During these dangerously low temperatures, it’s important we remain indoors as much as possible and I urge everyone to check on their neighbors — especially our most vulnerable residents,” Haller said. “We want everyone to be protected during these harsh weather conditions.”

The Maryland Department of Health Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has reported three cold-related deaths in Baltimore City this winter, the statement said.

Anyone with other cold-related inquiries or service requests or who is looking for a nearby homeless shelter can call 311 or 211.

Contact Jonathan M. Pitts at [e-mail], 410-332-6990 and x.com/jonpitts77.