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Baltimore issues season's first Code Blue Alert

Posted at 1:44 PM, Jan 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-05 06:05:50-05

Baltimore has issued its first Code Blue alert of the winter season.

Overnight temperatures Monday into Tuesday are expected to fall into the teens with the potential for wind chill in the single digits. City health commissioner Leana Wen announced the alert Monday afternoon.

The Health Commissioner can declare a Code Blue when temperatures, including the wind chill, are expected to be 13 degrees or below or when other conditions, like strong winds or extended periods of cold, are determined severe enough to pose a threat to vulnerable people living in the city.

"While we enjoyed a warm start to winter, the weather has turned cold quickly to start 2016. I am issuing a Code Blue Declaration tonight in Baltimore and encourage residents to stay in indoors, especially those most vulnerable to cold,” Wen said in a release.

Neighbors are encouraged to call 311 to report someone without heat or power.

“Extreme cold temperatures can permanently injure, or even kill. Hypothermia, or low body temperature, can be just as dangerous as extreme heat, so it is important to stay indoors in heated areas. Be sure to check on your elderly neighbors to ensure that they have heat and power tonight," Wen said.