With an extreme cold warning in place for New Brunswick, temperatures in many areas dropped below -20C or -35 with windchill, putting people across the province at risk.
Thursday’s warning raised concerns about the homeless, with shelters opening their doors to those in need even if they were at capacity.
According to Fredericton John Howard Society outreach worker Mike Ryan, some people did end up sleeping outside. Ryan says he took drove around Thursday night to see if anyone needed extra blankets or assistance getting out of the cold. He says he checked on those who slept in tents and says there were no incidents overnight.
READ MORE: Extreme cold warning puts New Brunswickers at risk
Fredericton Shelters Inc. executive director Warren Maddox says frozen pipes at Grace House were the only “unexpected challenge.”
“We have some great community groups out there that hand out wool socks and scarves and hats and we make sure those get out to anyone that needs them, whether it’s our resident or not,” Maddox said.
He says Frederictonians should be proud of the community and “the fact that we take the vast majority of people that are homeless and provide them with a safe and warm safe to be.”
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Maddox says they ensure residents are safe, stable and warm, but says other people come to the door looking for blankets and jackets. He says they provide people with warm clothing donated by people in the community.
In Saint John, Romero House soup kitchen executive director Evelyn McNulty says they are in “terrible need of men’s boots,” along with hats, gloves and other warm pieces of clothing.
McNulty says the cold weather so early into winter left many unprepared for the frigid temperatures.
“This is an unusual cold for December in Saint John, normally we have a green Christmas and certainly not -35,” McNulty said.
Outdoor workers feel cold weather effects
Strategic Aviation lead ground service agent Nicholas Antworth says Friday was the “worst cold day” he’s ever worked in his life.
“When I was out there, it was about -31 with the windchill so that was pretty crazy,”Antworth said.
Antworth works at the Fredericton International Airport, where he helps unload airplanes, checks that bags are on board and makes sure that things go smoothly on the tarmac.
READ MORE: Most of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick under weather warning
He says he worked Thursday night and most of the day Friday. He says he dressed in layers to stay warm, but forgot to bring a face mask to work and improvised by using a respiratory mask to help keep his face covered.
“I just tell myself, ‘well it’s a job and I’ve gotta do it, and you know, pay for some Christmas gifts for the family,'”