Santa Rosa County Emergency Management urges residents to be prepared for the cold weather that will settle in through the weekend by remembering the 5 P's of cold weather safety. Temperatures are expected to be at their coldest early Sunday morningwith many areas of the county dipping below 30 degrees.

• Protect People: Remember to dress in layers and wear a hat and gloves. It is important to try to stay out of the wind and to stay dry. Also, remember to check on young children and elderly family and neighbors who are the most sensitive to cold weather. If the temperature cannot be maintained at a home, make temporary arrangements to stay elsewhere, including with friends and family.
• Protect Pets: If cold weather is in the forecast, be sure to bring outdoor pets inside or give them a warm shelter to stay in.
• Protect Plants: Cover cold-sensitive plants to protect them from dangerous temperatures.
• Protect Pipes: Cover pipes and allow outdoor faucets to slowly drip to prevent freezing and breaking.
• Practice Fire Safety: Use safe heating sources indoors. Do not use fuel-burning devices such as grills; they release carbon monoxide, which is a deadly gas. Also, make sure to use space heaters according to their instructions and be attentive to open flames. In the event of long-term power outages, be extremely careful when using generators, lanterns, gas-powered appliances or when cooking on charcoal grills or gas grills. These appliances produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide which is a deadly, invisible and odorless gas that can cause poisoning in only a matter of minutes.  Equipment or appliances that produce carbon monoxide should never be used indoors. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not stop carbon monoxide build-up.  

Santa Rosa County schools and county offices will be open tomorrow, Fri., Jan. 21. Santa Rosa County Public Safety will monitor the weather through the evening and send out an update should anything change.

---

Cold weather shelter open 24 hours a day beginning tonight, Thurs., Jan. 20

The cold weather shelter for the homeless and/or heatless will open for 24 hours a day beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 20 and will remain open until 7 a.m. on Mon., Jan. 24. The cold weather shelter is located at Ferris Hill Baptist Church, 6848 Chaffin St. in Milton. Guests must still arrive by 8:30 p.m. each night unless brought in by law enforcement. Only service animals (with verification of rabies vaccination) are permitted to stay with guests.

Santa Rosa County's cold weather shelter is operated by Ferris Hill Baptist Church, utilizing volunteer resources and donations. It opens each night weather is forecasted to drop below 40 degrees, typically December through March. The shelter is for people who are homeless or cannot maintain heat in their home, can care for themselves, and are not at risk to themselves or others. No one will be admitted to the shelter who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, unable to walk unaided or disoriented.
 

#     #     #