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County is prepared with shelter, outreach and more
For several years, February in the region has been a particularly cold month. Ice, snow and plummeting temperatures make the cold month one that is especially important for which to prepare. Clackamas County is ready with road services, shelter, outreach and health guidance to serve our community in cold weather.
Go to the county’s Alerts page for an expansive list of ways to prepare for this frigid month, including driving tips, winter storm insurance resources, how to contend with frozen pipes and more. And be sure to follow the Clackamas County social media channels, including Facebook, to keep up to date on the latest county news.
Roads:
Leading into February, Clackamas County Roads crews prepared equipment and staff and topped off snow and ice fighting materials. We have 15 snow plows and sanders ready to go, our winter sand sheds are full and staff are prepared to report to work to clear roads in the event of snow on weekdays or weekends.
Shelter:
Overnight warming shelters are opened when the temperature is predicted to be 33 degrees or lower (including wind chill) or when other conditions (snow, wind, flooding) make sleeping outdoors especially dangerous. Daytime warming centers are open throughout the county. Unless otherwise noted, all sites are ADA accessible, allow service animals only, and are open to the general public.
The Father’s Heart in Oregon City provides a group overnight warming center.
Outreach to homeless and vulnerable community members:
County homeless outreach teams have been hard at work over these cold days. Outreach workers hand out cold weather supplies and food, and they provide timely information on how to access overnight shelter. Supplies include a flashlight, batteries, gloves, a hat, hand warmers, hygiene supplies, electrolytes, high-protein food, and more. Our outreach teams also play a key role when flooding is forecast on Johnson Creek.
The county has also coordinated with community-based organizations that interact with vulnerable members of the public, such as libraries, senior centers, health centers and more. We have provided flyers and other communication tools in multiple languages to help vulnerable clients access shelter and stay healthy and safe in dangerous weather.
Caring for yourself and others:
Our complete list of winter weather tips can save lives in cold weather. These tips are also in flyer form in multiple languages. A few critical tips to remember include:
- Stay warm and dry with mittens, layers, and a hat
- Drink warm liquids
- Stay informed with publicalerts.org and weather.gov
- Stay prepared with flashlights, batteries, extra food, and backup power
- Check on your neighbors and vulnerable people
- Stay indoors with a safe heat source if possible
- Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning