City of Worcester, MA

City to Open Warming Center at Worcester Senior Center this Weekend

For Immediate Release: 2/1/2023 3:00 pm

WORCESTER, Mass. – Frigid temperatures below zero degrees Fahrenheit are expected in the region this weekend, with wind chills of minus 30 degrees possible. To provide support to residents, City officials have announced a temporary, emergency overnight warming center at the Worcester Senior Center, located at 128 Providence Street, open to the public from 8 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 3 until 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4.

The temporary warming center will be staffed throughout its hours of operation by a combination of members of the Department of Emergency Management and volunteers from the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).

The City’s Quality of Life Task Force will reach out to members of the homeless community leading up to the weekend to refer them to needed services.

City officials urge all residents to take precautions to stay safe during the extreme cold and recommend the following tips:

• Avoid outdoor exposure for extended periods and cover exposed skin. Dress in layers and stay dry.
• Watch for frostbite, which can develop in under a minute
• Heat your home safely. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for heating your house with a space heater. Keep three feet of space around the space heater, and use a dedicated outlet.
• Open cabinet doors that enclose any indoor pipes to allow warm air to circulate and prevent freezing. Additional tips to prevent frozen pipes can be found at worcesterma.gov/water-sewer.
• Keep pets indoors and check paws for signs of injury/damage
• Dry your clothes at a lower temperature when drying heavy loads to guard against accidental fires.
• Check on neighbors and elders often
• Keep an emergency supply kit in your car

More information, including the Worcester no-heat/frozen pipe hotline, is available by contacting Worcester 311, which will be open extended hours from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 (dial 3-1-1, email 311@worcesterma.gov, or submit an online request at worcesterma.gov/311).

More cold weather safety/preparation tips are available at cdc.gov/disasters/winter/duringstorm/indoorsafety.html. Residents are also encouraged to sign up for ALERTWorcester at worcesterma.gov/emergency-communications/alertworcester to stay informed and be prepared in case of an emergency.