211 responds to early cold snap with temperatures 10 to 20 degrees below normal.
What happens when the weather gets dangerously cold, and the Governor directs the state’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol to be activated? What does that mean and how do people get help?
Heather Proce and her second husband Julio Rijosare are experiencing homelessness in New Haven. Her house in Hamden burned down in 2001 and she lost her husband and seven-year-old child. Her other five children are either grown or living with their father.
When the severe cold weather set in last week, Heather called 211 and they were able to provide her with a list of warming centers. They ended up sleeping at Varick Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, which was on the list. “There was a line around the block, but we got in for one night,” Heather shares. “There were so many people the second night that Varick sent us to the Quality Inn in Stratford and provided transportation there. The hotel was beautiful, warm and comfortable. The staff were organized, professional and didn’t judge us. I got to take a shower and stood in there for about an hour. It was such a luxury to have a shower with soap, towels and a blow dryer. We also had food to eat – they fed us breakfast with coffee.”
“211 has been helpful so far. They arranged for me to complete a Coordinated Access Network (CAN) assessment and I’m waiting to hear back but looking around myself too.” In tears, she said, “I have multiple sclerosis, which wreaks havoc on my body, especially in the cold. If it weren’t for 211 I could have ended up in the hospital or dead.”
The purpose of the state’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol is to ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive protection from the severe cold, which could be life threatening if exposed to the elements for extended periods of time.
Here’s how it works. When the Governor enacts the protocol, state agencies and municipalities coordinate with United Way of CT 211 and Connecticut’s network of shelters to make sure that anyone in need can receive shelter from the outdoors, including transportation to shelters.
While the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security monitors capacity at shelters across the state, local officials alert 211 and the state when they open temporary shelters or warming centers. 211 then acts as a clearinghouse to help residents find shelter space.
The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) and Connecticut Department of Housing (DOH) coordinate with 211 to provide transportation for people seeking shelter.
During the exceptional cold we experienced last week, 211 responded to 452 calls for assistance and more than 3,000 web searches on 211ct.org. They booked 58 hotel rooms for 96 individuals. 211 also arranged transportation for 114 residents to get to shelter. Call volume was highest from New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport and Waterbury.
“As part of the state’s Emergency response framework, United Way of Connecticut 211 plays a critical role in all state emergencies and we are always poised and ready to connect residents to vital programs and services,” shares Tanya Barrett, Senior Vice President of 211 Health and Human Services. “I’m so proud of our team, for no matter the emergency, we are always here and ready to assist.”
Photo by Beyza Kaplan: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-walking-on-a-snow-covered-street-14411769/
