For the next three days, Northeast Ohio will be gripped by a violent, persistent cold. That isn’t hyperbolic clickbait. From Sunday night through Wednesday, wind chill conditions will make it feel like -24 degrees outside. That’s frigid enough to cause frostbite in less than 30 minutes, and prolonged exposure could cause hypothermia.

Conditions are projected to be at their worst as Tuesday transitions into Wednesday, the National Weather Service warns. Temperatures will fall to between 0 and -13 degrees, with wind chill of at least -24 degrees (and colder in some places).

This poses a particular threat to Cleveland’s unhoused and housing insecure populations, a fact well known to Emily Collins, a senior advisor to Mayor Justin Bibb tasked with overseeing the Home for Every Neighbor Initiative.

For the most part, Collins and her team of staff and nonprofit partners, look to find permanent shelter for the city’s unhoused. That can be a slow and laborious process. When inclement weather develops, like this cold snap, it shifts the priorities.

“We haven’t gotten to everyone who’s outside,” she told The Land. “It’s really important that we’re able to make sure we have outreach teams, not just offering the opportunity for housing, but offering the opportunity to get inside other potential locations, even if they’re temporary.”

In the face of the frigid cold, the outreach teams that Collins works with have been urgently trying to get people to shelters or permanent housing. They’re coordinating efforts with the Cleveland EMS squads and disseminating information on warming shelters through multiple avenues.

To help people during the day, the city utilizes four recreation centers as warming stations. Each of the below sites is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Michael Zone Recreation Center, 6301 Lorain Ave.
Lonnie Burten Recreation Center, 2511 E. 46th St.
Collinwood Recreation Center, 16300 Lakeshore Blvd.
Zelma George Recreation Center, 3155 Martin L. King Blvd.

The warming centers have already seen plenty of use this year. For example, on or about Jan. 15, Collins said, approximately 200 people made use of one of the recreation centers as a warming station. Only about 20 of those people asked for rides to overnight shelters. Both numbers could increase as temperatures decrease this week.

“It’s not just people who are experiencing homelessness [at the warming stations],” Collins said. “It’s people who might have, you know, a heater that’s not working so well. People who just need to get out of the cold because of normal, everyday reasons. And we’re proud that warming centers are available for that purpose.”

To that end, Collins and city officials are asking Clevelanders to take care of each other. If they see someone who appears to be living outside, call the city and let them know. If you have an elderly neighbor, make time to check on them and ensure they’re doing OK in the weather. You can also call 211, which “is a real resource for folks,” Collins said.

Cuyahoga County also maintains an interactive map of warming centers throughout county limits. That map can be found by clicking here.

A threat to many

When temperatures take such violent plunges, it threatens not only the region’s unhoused population, but anyone forced to endure the elements for long stretches. The signs of impending danger can also be hard to spot, if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

The Cleveland Clinic warned that the risk of frostbite is “very real in these frigid temperatures,” in a recent press release.

“Frostbite typically happens when the tips of your fingers and your toes freeze. It also commonly can be seen in your nose and your ears though,” said Dr. Carole Parsons, emergency medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic. “The ways to prevent this are by making sure that you are wearing warm apparel when out in the cold, but also changing your apparel whenever they get wet.”

If you’re exposed to the cold, here are the initial warning signs. First, you’ll experience cold, soreness, and numbness on your skin. Then, you’ll have a sensation of pins and needles, the Cleveland Clinic warns. Finally, the area will go numb.

For many, frostbite is the first danger that comes to mind when considering freezing temperatures. Ellen Kazimer, captain of Cleveland EMS, said there are two key signs her team looks for when evaluating a patient for possible frostbite. First, is the skin cold to the touch? Second, does the skin have an unusual appearance? Frostbitten skin may appear “waxy,” she said.

Hypothermia also poses a major threat to Northeast Ohioans.

“You may find someone, a neighbor, whose [main] transportation is walking,” Kazimer said. “She decides, in the cold temperatures, she’s got to get herself provisions. It’s understandable and she thinks she’s taking precautions. You interact with her. She’s normally with it, but in your interaction, she just doesn’t seem OK. She’s a little slow, a little sluggish. That could be a sign of hypothermia and she could need medical attention.”

Cleveland EMS runs 23 units during the daytime and 21 units at night. Each unit consists of at least two people. “Ideally, two paramedics,” Kazimer notes. “If not, it will be a paramedic and an EMT, but both are well equipped to handle whatever emergencies come along.”

She noted that her teams are there to help, but Clevelanders should also check in on each other.

“Check on your neighbors. Check on the more vulnerable populations, anyone who is elderly, anyone who is chronically ill, children – check on them. Keep your eyes open. Make calls if you need to,” she said. “Just try to take care of each other.”

You can learn more about 211 on the United Way of Greater Cleveland’s website. You can also learn more about the Norma Herr Women’s Center on its website, or the 2100 Lakeside Shelter on the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministries website.

Additional resources can be found at the websites for the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH) and FrontLine Service.