FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — As dangerously cold temperatures and elevated wildfire risks hit the region at the same time, St. Lucie County will open an emergency shelter Feb. 5 and 6 at the Percy Peek Gym in Fort Pierce — with free countywide transportation available to anyone who needs a safe place to stay.
The shelter, operated in partnership with the City of Fort Pierce and the nonprofit In the Image of Christ, will open at 5 p.m. each night and close at 8 a.m. the next morning.
To ensure residents can reach the site safely, Area Regional Transit (ART) will provide free rides from multiple pickup points between 6 p.m. and roughly 8 p.m., including:
- Port St. Lucie Intermodal Station
- Fort Pierce Intermodal Facility
- Prima Vista Crossing, Pinewood Park
- Kilmer Branch Library
- Publix Plaza at Taylor Creek
County officials are urging residents to prepare for the cold snap by dressing in layers, avoiding prolonged exposure, checking on vulnerable neighbors and never using fuel-burning heaters, grills or generators indoors because of carbon monoxide dangers…