BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- As a blast of cold air from the arctic moves into the region, the Pine Street Inn and the Ctiy of Boston are preparing to help the homeless stay out of the elements
Pine Street Executive Director Lyndia Downey tells WBZ NewsRadio1030 that their shelter is already on high alert knowing that it's just going to get colder over the next few days.
"I think it's going to be tough, we already had 75 people on the floor before the cold weather snap started and our lobby right now is filled with cots and mats and once the cots and mats are full we will open out our dinning room and put some mats in on the dining room floor for people if we have to, " she said.
They have added shifts to the outreach van service that goes out to bring the homeless who can't make it out to the shelter on their own from the cold or just to check on those who choose to stay outside.
Downey said that she and her staff have already seen a couple cases of frost bite.
"The worry for our staff is not to be able to locate someone we see on a regular basis every night," she said "...our big worry is hypothermia because it comes upon people and they don't actually know they have hypothermia and they think they are fine," she said.
Downey says that the Pine Street Inn will be asking others who stay at the shelter to help bring people in. She has also asked the public if they see a see a homeless person in distress to call 9-1-1.
Related Links:
City of Boston Public Health Homelessness Emergency Shelter Commission
WBZ NewsRadio1030's Lana Jones reports.