CITY OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
Office of the Mayor
Thomas M. Menino

For Immediate Release For More Information Contact
January 14, 2009 Press Office, 617-635-4461

***Dangerous Cold Weather Alert***

Temperatures to be near zero this week; City urges residents to stay warm, practice caution in using portable heating devices

Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced today that the City of Boston is taking all steps to keep residents safe in anticipation of severely cold weather over the next few days. Weather forecasts for the remainder of the week and the weekend include near zero temperatures, the coldest snap the Greater Boston region has seen since 2005. Mayor Menino urged residents to check on the well-being of their elderly or disabled neighbors and practice caution when using portable heating devices such as space heaters.

General heating safety tips for winter weather include:
· Never use your oven for heat.
· Electric powered portable heaters should never be left on while sleeping and should be kept at least three feet away from combustible materials.
· Do not overload electrical sockets.
· Never leave candles unattended.
· CO2 detectors are now required in homes by law. They must be within ten feet of sleeping areas.
· Working smoking detectors should be on each floor of your home, particularly near bedrooms.
· To avoid frozen pipes, let warm water drip overnight in faucets, preferably from a faucet on an outdoor wall, and leave cabinet doors open to allow heat to reach uninsulated pipes.

The Boston Public Health Commission advises the following to stay warm and avoid the dangerous effects of extremely cold weather:
· Layer clothing
· Cover Exposed Skin
· Keep Moving
· Check on Elderly Family and Neighbors
· Avoid Getting Wet
· Drink non-caffeinated fluids
· Keep Pets Indoors

“Boston will be experiencing bitterly cold weather and residents need to take precautions to protect themselves and their neighbors against such cold weather,” Mayor Menino said. “As a city, we must work together to ensure the safety of all our residents, especially our elderly, disabled, and homeless.”

The Boston Public Schools Department will call each BPS family to inform BPS families that school will not be canceled as well as provide safety tips to deal with the cold weather. Children who are not dressed properly, and whose skin is exposed to extremely cold air, can suffer frostbite within minutes. Children waiting for buses should be well covered with warm jackets, hats, gloves and scarves.

Mayor Menino will also place calls to Boston’s senior citizens to provide them with safety tips for the cold weather.

If you are a tenant, your unit should be heated to 68 degrees during the day and 64 degrees at night. Alert your landlord first to correct any issues. If your landlord does not respond, the Mayor’s 24-hour Hotline number is (617) 635-4500. Hotline operators will alert the city’s Inspectional Services Department, which will have extra housing and building inspectors on duty to investigate situations and work with the landlord to get heat turned back on. Inspectional Service officers will also monitor foreclosed properties to find and assist people who are using the vacated buildings as shelter from the cold.

For heating assistance, Mayor Menino urges residents to contact ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development) at (617) 357-6012.

Mayor Menino encourages Boston residents and commuters who notice any homeless individuals who may be in danger from the extreme cold to please notify public safety officials by calling 9-1-1 to ensure the most rapid response to persons in need. If anyone is aware of encampments where people are believed to be staying, please notify the Mayor’s 24-hour Hotline at (617) 635-4500. The Emergency Shelter Commission is coordinating with the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston EMS, and the Boston Police Department Homelessness liaison to ensure that the Boston, MBTA and State Police are aware of locations where persons who may be vulnerable to the cold are believed to be sleepin