County’s Code Blue Policy Adopted, Ready for Winter

CREST HAVEN – Cape May County’s Code Blue emergency policy is in black and white as of Nov. 24.
Advocates for the homeless who reside in tents in woods, largely out of sight, pressed freeholders to formalize procedures that would allow homeless persons to be sheltered from winter’s frigid temperatures.
Without comment, the board unanimously passed the resolution that places responsibility for a Code Blue declaration in the county on the county’s emergency management coordinator, presently Martin Pagliughi.
Once a declaration is made, individuals working with the homeless will be able to find them shelter from the cold.
The policy is “intended to provide notice of adverse winter weather conditions to local municipalities and social services agencies that provide services to homeless individuals living outdoors, on the streets, in parks or poorly insulated settings and who are at risk of cold-related exposure and possible death.”
As of Nov. 16, Pagliughi signed the policy for his department. It states that after receiving a weather forecast and/or advisory from the National Weather Service in Mount Holly that severe weather is imminent, it will be the duty of the senior dispatcher on duty to check with NWS daily at 6 a.m. and noon.
If the forecast meets requirements for Code Blue activation, Pagliughi or Scott Morgan are to be contacted for authorization to email the Code Blue Group and post the information on the county’s website.
The group contains county Social Services, mayors, chiefs of police and emergency management coordinators, and Homeless Hotline, as well as others responsible to get persons off the streets and into shelters.
Threshold levels that must be met for a declaration to be made include: temperatures of 25 degrees Fahrenheit or lower without precipitation or, temperatures of 32 degrees Fahrenheit or lower with precipitation.
Weather data used to make such a determination is to be saved and archived for future reference and documentation.
National Weather Service will be the “sole indicator that will determine if a Code Blue declaration is declared by the county.”
Criteria is to be evaluated, and, if warranted, a Code Blue emergency will be declared for the time period beginning at 6 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. for the night or nights in questions.
Office of Emergency Management will designate a staff person to check the National Weather Service in Mount Holly’s website every morning between 6 a.m. and noon for the next 24 to 48 hour period.
“If the forecasted conditions fall within the threshold levels outlined, the OEM coordinator shall initiate the Code Blue declaration.”
Should the forecast lack clarity, the OEM coordinator will seek clarification by contacting the on-duty meteorologist in Mount Holly to determine whether to declare a Code Blue emergency.