ST. LOUIS — As dangerous cold grips the region, St. Louis shelters are preparing for one of their busiest weekends yet under the city’s “Code Blue” emergency plan.
Wind chills are expected to plunge between 10 and 20 degrees below zero overnight Saturday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Cold Weather Advisory through midnight on Sunday. Officials warn that frostbite and hypothermia can occur within minutes without proper shelter.
How “Code Blue” is going
The city’s Department of Human Services extended Code Blue Thursday night, keeping 24-hour emergency shelter operations open through at least Wednesday, Dec. 17. It’s part of a coordinated citywide effort to protect people from the cold by adding more shelter beds, transportation options, and relaxed intake requirements.
Anthony D’Agostino, CEO of Peter & Paul Community Services, said the effort is the most organized he’s seen in more than a decade working in homeless services…