Warming station to open in Alexandria ahead of predicted cold, possible snow
The City of Alexandria announced late Thursday afternoon that it and a coalition of partners will open a warming station at the Bolton Avenue Community Center at 6 p.m. Sunday.
The center, at 315 Bolton Ave., will remain open until Jan. 23. Although the forecast is not definite yet, Central Louisiana could get snow and temperatures dipping into the low 20s in that period, according to local meteorologist Nick Mikulus.
The shelter will have cots and blankets. It will not accept pets or those with "special medical needs," reads a news release. Although it will have prepackaged meals available, the Manna House and Louisiana Baptist Convention also will provide meals.
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"Visitors to the facility are required to be ambulatory and able to care for themselves," the release reads. "The city is coordinating with other agencies to monitor, plan, set up and have ready additional stations as needs dictate, using its Bolton Avenue warming station as the model."
The city also stated that the United Way of Central Louisiana will be the only point of contact that will update its partner agencies through its 211 telephone help number.
Winter weather preparations from Louisiana Department of Health
Have your electronics, like cellphones, fully charged, and restrict usage to conserve battery life in case power goes out.
Check your flashlights, and be sure to have extra batteries.
Check to see if your doors and windows are properly insulated.
Set your refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings, in case power is lost.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide detector batteries.
Do not use a stove or oven for home heating.
Never use generators indoors. Use them outdoors, away from doors, windows and vents.
Let generators cool before refueling them, and keep them dry to prevent electrocution.
If using space heaters, plug them directly into wall sockets and not extension cords.
Do not use space heaters with frayed or splitting cords.
Keep space heaters 3 to 5 feet away from any combustible materials.
Keep children away from space heaters, and never leave them running while nobody is present to watch them.
If you're using a fireplace, do not use artificial logs, paper or trash as fuel.
Be sure to open the chimney flue and clean it before lighting a fire.
Always use a screen to prevent embers from popping onto floors or other combustible materials.
Keep ashes in metal containers, and dispose of them away from your home.
This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: As Cenla preps for cold, snow, Alexandria again to open warming station