Code Blue is declared when the air temperature is forecast by the National Weather Service to fall below 26 degrees Fahrenheit between 4:00 pm and 8:00 am. The plan can also be enacted when the City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Emergency Management activates the Emergency Operations Center in response to severe weather conditions, such as flooding.
County, city, and local homeless shelter provider staff have been mobilized to provide support for the Code Blue Action.
During a Code Blue event:
- Unsheltered individuals will be directed to present for shelter at Second Avenue Commons (700 Second Avenue, Downtown).
- All DHS shelters serving persons experiencing homelessness will remain open to shelter guests 24 hours per day, while triggering conditions persist. The county will send another announcement when the Code Blue Action ends.
- Capacity at shelters will be monitored and if the regular shelters become full, people will be transported to the severe weather emergency shelter. The City of Pittsburgh has identified Ammon Recreation Center (2217 Bedford Ave, Pittsburgh) for this use.
Additionally: