COURT HOUSE – Every year for at least the past six years, Code Blue warming centers have been set up somewhere in Cape May County, generally operated by volunteers at local churches, for when the weather turns cold.
New Jersey statute requires the county’s Code Blue coordinator, the Cape May County Office of Emergency Management, to declare a Code Blue when the temperature is forecast by the Mount Holly Weather Center to be 32 degrees or lower.
There are currently two churches operating warming centers in Cape May County – the Cape Community Church, 1159 U.S. Route 9, Cape May Court House in Middle Township, and the Seashore Community Church of the Nazarene, 446 Seashore Road, Erma in Lower Township.
The two churches operate their centers during alternate months beginning in October. This month, the Cape Community Church center is open.
Diane Wieland, the county’s public information officer, said other towns have a designated warming center for emergencies.
Wieland also provided information on pickups by the county’s Fare Free Transportation system. In December, February and April, there will be a 5:45 p.m. pickup at the parking lot of The Branches Outreach Center, 201 Hirst Ave., Rio Grande, followed by a 6 p.m. pickup at the bus shelter in front of Township Hall at 2600 Bayshore Road, Villas. In the morning, Fare Free Transportation will return guests to the pickup locations.
In November, January and March, the 5:45 p.m. pickup will be at the bus shelter in front of Township Hall, and the 6 p.m. pickup at the parking lot of The Branches Outreach Center.
The warming centers operate from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The Branches will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. during Code Blue, serving warm beverages and items for a light breakfast in the morning and warm beverages and soup from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Dinner will not be served.
When asked what determines how many clients a warming center can take, Wieland said the individual warming centers determine client capacity based on the size of the facility and its volunteer/employee base.
Pastor Sheldon Marden of the Seashore Community Church said they anticipated sheltering between 18 and 20 guests. Pastor Brad Bauer of Cape Community Church said they were prepared to take up to 20.
On Wednesday, Nov. 1, the county called the first Code Blue of the season, and Cape Community Church opened its warming center. At 6 p.m. there were nine overnight guests, six males and three females. A volunteer read off a list of rules for the center, which included no drugs or alcohol; possession of either was cause for expulsion.
Guests were also not allowed to bring in any food or beverages. Every client was “wanded” with a hand-held device to check for weapons. Two Middle Township police officers were at the center when the guests arrived but left shortly thereafter, saying they would be back to check on how things were going.
All of the guests stayed in a large all-purpose room, with the female section partitioned off. About half a dozen volunteers were on hand to help welcome them, get them registered and serve them food.
According to Donna Oliver, the warming center coordinator, three volunteers were going to stay overnight. The guests would be awakened around 5 a.m. before being bused to The Branches, where they would have breakfast.
“What will we do to pass the time?” one of the guests asked.
“That will be up to you,” a volunteer said.
Wieland said Cape May County has a memorandum of understanding with the municipalities regarding the establishment of the warming centers, and the municipalities have an agreement with the warming center operators.
The original legislation reads that “Volunteer-organized Code Blue efforts shall receive cooperation and logistical support from the (county) coordinator, but shall operate autonomously, provided that they operate in response to an alert and pursuant to the Code Blue alert plan.”
Wieland said the county offered initial technical support training on warming center operations to the municipalities when the warming center model was established, and it can be provided again if needed. She said there are initial meetings held in early fall for readiness, as well as midseason check-ins.
“The county is available for technical assistance when needed,” she said.
Oliver said Cape Community Church had been prepared for a month to operate the warming center.
The county provides funding to the Middle Township and Lower Township municipal governments in the amount of $25,000 each. The county Office of Emergency Management provides cots and blankets; personal protective equipment is provided if needed, as are Covid test kits and Narcan kits. Fare Free transports clients to and from the warming centers.
In order for clients to use the services offered during a Code Blue they will have to know that a Code Blue has been called. Wieland said the Emergency Management Office sends out announcements via email and cellphone alerts to its partners, including police and nonprofits working with the homeless. The Code Blue alert also appears on the county website.
The partner agencies will then inform their clientele of the Code Blue, Wieland said. She said Code Blue signs have been posted throughout the county by advocates, and that any individual with a cellphone can sign up for alerts by contacting Emergency Management. They can also call 2-1-1, which is made aware of Code Blue declarations and is provided the schedule for warming center operations.
Wieland said that in recent years, the number of Code Blue declarations per year has ranged from a low of 29 to a high of 73. Warming centers are prepared to operate as early as Oct. 15 and as late as April 15.
She said the rotating schedule, requested by the warming centers, has assisted in conserving the energy of the warming center staffs in the event there are a lot of Code Blue declarations or extended consecutive Code Blue declarations.
Contact the author, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
