Newark, NJ – December 2, 2024 – Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Department of Health and CommunityWellness Director Ketlen Baptiste Alsbrook are extending “Code Blue” for theCity of Newark from 8 p.m. tonight, Monday, December 2, to 9 a.m., Monday,December 9. During this period, temperatures are expected to drop to a lowof 26°F.

A “Code Blue” is a Cold WeatherHealth Warning that is usuallycalled when temperatures drop to 32°F or when there is a wind chill factor of0°. Residents are reminded to continue being cautious during extreme coldweather.

The Health Department urges Newarkresidents to take precautions against the serious illnesses that can arise fromextreme cold, particularly for vulnerable populations such as seniors andindividuals with chronic health issues or mental health conditions. Citizensare also encouraged to check on their neighbors who may be isolated fromfriends and family.

The City of Newark Housing Coderequires all property owners to supply heat from October 1 through May 1between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. at a minimum inside temperature of68°F, and between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. at a minimum inside temperatureof 65°F. To report no heat or hot water in your apartment, call the Divisionof Code Enforcement at (973) 733-6471.

The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Servicesand its partners are dedicated to helping residents in need during a “Code Blue.”Shelters will be open during extended hours and will increase their bedcapacity. Street outreach workers are available from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.,seven days a week, reaching out to individuals without addresses andencouraging them to enter emergency shelters or visit drop-in or warmingcenters.

If you see someone who is unshelteredand needs non-emergency services, please text “Path Home” to 855-11.This message will be sent to street outreach teams, who will locate theindividual and offer assistance. For more information about shelteringservices, please contact one of the shelters listed below or reach the Officeof Homeless Services at (973) 877- 9481, available Monday throughFriday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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The City offers the following tips on keeping homes safe and coping with extreme winter weather:

• Keep the house heated to a minimum of 68°F. The temperatures inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 68°F will not keep the inside walls from freezing.
• Open hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving within the pipes will prevent them from freezing.
• Check on seniors to make sure that they are warm and dry.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Check all windows and doors for drafts. Place plastic if you feel a draft.
• Do not leave space heaters unattended.
• Do not use generators indoors.
• It is illegal to use kerosene heaters indoors.
• Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Take inventory of emergency items.

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