Johnson County agencies ready to help during extreme cold snap

Several local organizations and Indiana 211 are offering help for residents in need of shelter as the temperatures drop.

If you or someone you know is living outside or is without heat in their home, officials say action should be taken now to get out of the potentially deadly cold. With temperatures set to drop below zero, no one should be outside for more than a few minutes if they can avoid it.

Grace United Methodist Church, the Franklin Union Needham, or FUN, Township Trustee’s Office, United Way of Johnson County and Indiana 211 are offering resources to stay warm.

Grace United Methodist, 1300 E. Adams Drive, Franklin, will be hosting a warming center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, when the temperatures aren’t supposed to rise above the single digits while potentially several inches of snow falls. Pastor Andy Kinsey said the church will have water, fruit, snacks, pillows and blankets for all who need shelter from the storm and cold. People can also play cards or do other activities at the church while they wait out the cold, he said.

During the extreme cold weather, FUN Trustee Lydia Wales said her office can help anyone find help regardless of where in Johnson County they live. Though she can’t offer financial assistance to anyone outside of the three central townships, she can help people find resources during the bitter cold, she said during a Facebook Live hosted by Franklin Police Chief Kirby Cochran.

People can reach her office at 317-736-7511 for help finding resources. Even if the trustee’s office isn’t staffed in-person due to the weather she will be forwarding calls to her cell phone to help people as promptly as possible, she said.

United Way of Johnson County can also help direct people to resources at 317-736-7840.

Indiana 211, available by dialing 211, can also direct people to the closest warming center.

Officials say people shouldn’t wait to get out of the cold, they should take action as soon as they need help.

“If you do know someone living outside in a tent or on the streets please call for them or have them call,” Wales said.

People who are outside for too long in near- or sub-zero temperatures, especially when there is high wind and precipitation, are at risk for frostbite or hypothermia. Whether homeless or just shoveling snow in the driveway, medical experts say people should monitor their bodies and take measures to keep safe in the cold.

In the early stage of frostbite, a skin condition that occurs when skin is exposed to the cold for too long, the skin could turn white or yellow and have the feeling of pins and needles. In later stages, skin turns hard, goes numb and turns red then purple, according to the Mayo Clinic. To avoid frostbite, people should cover their skin when outside in extreme winter weather.

Symptoms of hypothermia, which is a medical emergency that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, include shivering, slurred speech, shallow breathing, weak pulse, lack of coordination, drowsiness or very low energy, confusion or memory loss and loss of consciousness, according to the Mayor Clinic. To avoid hypothermia people should avoid being outside for prolonged periods, dress warm enough for the temperature and avoid getting wet in extreme cold.

It is also recommended to take precautions for holiday travel when the weather is extremely cold. Public safety officials say items such as a snow shovel, cat litter, blankets and snacks should be packed in the car in case of an emergency on the road.