By: Julie Murphy, Flagler County Public Information Officer
The Sheltering Tree will open a cold-weather shelter Friday and Saturday nights at the Church on the Rock not only for the homeless, but for anyone who is without heat.
The National Weather Service is predicting temperatures in the high 30s during the overnight hours on Thursday, January 26, and Friday, January 27. The criteria for opening the cold-weather shelter is based on an overnight temperature that dips below 40 degrees.
“As temperatures approach freezing, serious medical conditions including hypothermia and frostbite can develop or be exacerbated,” said Health and Human Services Director Joseph Hegedus. “We urge those who are unhoused or lack adequate heat at their residence to access the cold-weather shelter. The Sheltering Tree and Church on the Rock will provide cots and meals. Flagler County will be providing transportation to the shelter for those who need it.”
The county will provide bus transportation along two routes, following the schedules below –
- Route 1
- Dollar General at Publix Town Center, 3:30 p.m.
- Near the McDonald’s at Old Kings Road South and State Road 100, 4 p.m.
- Dollar Tree by Carrabba’s and Walmart, 4:30 p.m.
- Palm Coast Main Branch Library, 4:45 p.m.
- Route 2
- Dollar General at County Road 305 and Canal Avenue in Daytona North, 4 p.m.
- Bunnell Free Clinic, 4:30 p.m.
- First United Methodist Church in Bunnell, 4:30 p.m.
Church on the Rock is located at 2200 N. State Street. The cold-weather shelter will open at 5:30 p.m. each evening and will close at 8 a.m. the following day.
The Sheltering Tree, 386-437-3258, is under the umbrella of the Flagler County Family Assistance Center and is a non-denominational civic organization that was created to provide cold-weather sheltering during cold nights in Flagler County.
Weather and heat safety preparedness tips from Flagler County Emergency Management and Fire Rescue include:
- Subscribe to Alert Flagler www.FlaglerCounty.gov/AlertFlagler
- Never use the oven to heat the home
- All fuel-burning equipment should be vented to the outside to avoid carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning
- Screen fireplaces to contain sparks
- Portable space heaters should be kept 3-feet away from anything that can burn
- Turn off portable heaters when leaving the room or going to bed
