An extreme cold warning issued for New Brunswick could see temperatures fall below -2oC, which will feel like below -35 with windchill, raising concerns about the health and safety of people living on the streets.
Harvest House manager Danny Gallant says temperatures this low can be fatal if someone falls asleep outside. He says the shelter is open 24 hours a day throughout the winter.
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He says it’s dangerous for people to be outside in extremely cold temperatures and says coming to a shelter can help get people back up on their feet.
“We hope that everybody that’s outside comes in, or if they’ve never heard of Harvest House, that they hear about us and they know that there’s a warm place to come,” Gallant said.
Gallant says people often prefer to live and get by on their own and don’t like shelter rules.
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“It’s great living on your own and having your own place, but come into a shelter, live by the rules for a month, and within a month people can usually get on social development and then we can help you get a place and then you’re out of the shelter and you can get your own room,” Gallant said.
In an email to Global News, Fredericton Homeless Shelters Inc. executive director Warren Maddox says capacity isn’t necessarily the challenge. Maddox says the shelters “can and do go into an over-capacity mode” when necessary, but there are some people who simply can’t be helped.
“They are either too far into an addiction or they have a mental illness that makes it impossible for us to accommodate,” Maddox said.
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“It is difficult for us to be unable to help.”
Mike Ryan of the Fredericton John Howard Society tells Global News he knows of at least five people who will be spending Thursday night outside. Ryan says that people in the community often take people in dire need into their homes when there are extreme cold warnings.
Emergency Management reminds residents to take precautions
City of Fredericton communications manager Wayne Knorr says it’s important for residents to be aware of frigid temperatures and limit their time outdoors.
“Dress warmly, dress in layers, make sure that you keep your head covered and you use hats and mittens and gloves to keep your hands warm,” Knorr said.
Knorr also stressed the importance of ensuring pets are safe and brought indoors when temperatures drop.
He says the city often gets calls about pipes freezing during cold spells, and that residents should ensure they close basement windows, make sure there are no drafts and avoid open flames around pipes.
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