HOMELESS SERVICES CODE BLUE IN EFFECT

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) announced Code Blue procedures would take effect at 8 p.m. and continue until 8 a.m. the next morning on Dec. 8.
The code will be a Level 2, meaning a weather prediction of a temperature or wind chill of 20 degrees or below.
During Code Blue procedures, DHS doubles both its outreach vans and outreach personnel to protect unsheltered individuals from death. Outreach teams are specifically trained to assess the health of unsheltered individuals and evaluate potential symptoms of cold weather distress, such as hypothermia and frostbite. During a Code Blue, outreach teams check on vulnerable clients every two hours, or four times per shift.
To supplement the professional expertise of Homeless Services outreach workers, the Agency encourages citizens to dial 311 if they suspect a person is in need. Calls placed by concerned New Yorkers serve as valuable resources for deploying assistance to where it is needed most.
While a Code Blue is underway, clients can access any Homeless Services adult facility, including shelters and Safe Havens, without pursuing the usual steps of entering an intake center. Beds are available system-wide to accommodate all walk-in clients or those brought in by outreach workers. All facilities are also open as warming centers for those who want to come in from the cold.