Camden County will be under a Code Blue Emergency through the duration of the weekend.
The Camden County Health Officer issued the Code Blue Emergency effective from 6 p.m. tonight to 7 a.m. on Jan. 24.
“In anticipation of the approaching blizzard brought on by a quickly moving nor’easter the extreme cold will be with us throughout the weekend. Wind chills are expected to drop temperatures to 20 degrees overnight, so everyone should be sheltered and out of the elements during this severe weather,” Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez said. “If you must leave the house, please dress yourself and your children in warm clothing, hats and gloves. Also, please remember to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, and bring your pets indoors.”
The latest forecast shows increasing clouds and snow starting between 6 and 9 p.m. tonight. The snow will quickly become heavy with one to two inch accumulations per hour. Friday night wind gusts will begin to build to 35 to 45 mph. Saturday will give way to periods of snow and sleet with a high of 30 degrees and a daytime accumulation of four to eight inches. At night the sleet mix will turn back to all snow, diminishing in the early morning hours of Sunday with a low temperature of 20 degrees. The forecasted deluge of snow should end between 12 and 18 inches on Sunday morning.
When the Camden County Health Officer declares a severe weather emergency, municipalities with homeless populations, situational homeless or transient populations are expected to activate their Code Blue response plan to accommodate their immediate needs.
“During these weather emergencies, we encourage everyone to check on elderly or handicapped relatives and neighbors that live alone,” Rodriguez said. “It is important that most vulnerable among us are not left without heat or electricity.”
With more than 75 percent of households in Camden County owning a cat or a dog Rodriguez wants to ensure that all pets are safe during these extreme temperatures as well.
When the thermometer dips below 32 degrees, keep your pet indoors as much as possible. If your pet must stay outside, provide a warm shelter, raised a few inches off the ground, with the opening facing away from the wind and covered with a burlap or plastic flap. The shelter should be large enough for the animal to stand and turn around, but small enough to retain its body heat.
The Camden County Health Department and the Office of Emergency Management have worked with each municipality to ensure they have the proper resources to respond to these severe weather situations as part of their individual Code Blue plans. Each municipality has identified its own location to accommodate those in their community seeking shelter from the severe weather.
Persons seeking shelter in a warming center should contact their local municipality. Additional resources are available by calling the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at (800) 999–9045, or by visiting www.camdencounty.com.
