Myrtle Beach emergency housing shelters welcome those in need ahead of arctic blast
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - Ahead of the nationwide arctic blast, Myrtle Beach homeless and transitional housing non-profit New Directions announces a “Code Blue” weekend in the Grand Strand and surrounding areas.
New Directions welcomes anyone who is homeless to come indoors for a warm place to sleep at both the men’s and women’s emergency shelters.
FIRST ALERT WEATHER DAY FRIDAY - Arctic blast ushers in coldest Christmas since 1999
By Friday night, temperatures will drop into the upper teens inland and lower 20s across the Grand Strand.
As the front moves through the area, it will produce a period of very strong winds. The initial front could produce wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph during the morning hours on Friday. Wind gusts of 35 to 45 mph will be common through the afternoon and evening. Winds will diminish slightly, but still gust as high as 30 to 35 mph through Friday night into Christmas Eve morning.
Cold weather life-safety and fire-prevention tips to consider:
- Check on elderly neighbors and relatives to be sure they are comfortable.
- Bring pets indoors or provide a warm shelter for them.
- Space heaters need space. Keep everything at least three feet away from them.
- Non-electric portable heaters should be properly vented.
- Never leave space heaters unattended. Turn them off when leaving or going to bed.
- Never plug an electric heater into an extension cord.
- Do not use an oven to heat your home.
- Use a sturdy fireplace screen on the fireplace and have your chimney cleaned and checked at least once a year.• Have working smoke detectors in all bedrooms and on every level of your home.
- If traveling extended distances, pack a blanket and additional warm clothing.
- Close crawl space vents.
- Disconnect the garden hose from the spigot.
- Insulate around outside spigots.
- Leave a light on in the utility room.
- Allow a trickle of water to run from a faucet.
In addition, please remember to bring in any pets who otherwise would be outdoors during the extreme temperatures this weekend.
For more information about new Directions or where to find a shelter, click here.
Stay up-to-date with the forecast at all times by downloading the WMBF First Alert Weather app and have weather alerts for your area sent straight to your phone.
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