Philadelphia Weather: Outreach Teams Working Around The Clock To Shelter Homeless During Bitter Cold Night
Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook | Twitter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Cold does not even begin to describe the winter weather hitting the Philly region. With wind chills well below zero, there are really only two types of people who are braving it.
Like Camden firefighters, caked in ice after a bitter battle with a fire Thursday morning, who had to use a blow torch to thaw out a fire hydrant, according to officials.
There are also the delivery men and women, bringing food and groceries to those who would rather stay warm inside.
"It doesn't seem so bad. It's not raining. It's not snowing. It's just a matter of using the right gear," one delivery person said.
Philadelphia Weather: People Braving Cold Despite Deep Freeze
And then there are the people outside who don't have another choice: the city's homeless men and women, who have no shelter from the bone-chilling cold.
Workers at the Project Home Outreach Coordination Center are staffed 24/7, dispatching crews to those who need a place to find warmth.
"We're downtown now, so hopefully we can take some people to some warm places," one outreach worker said.
"If you're not bundled up correctly, you could die out here. It's serious," he said.
Manny and Cedric, one of the five outreach teams on the streets throughout the night, check common spots where the homeless stay and try to get people indoors.
Bitter Cold Air Can Affect Breathing, Constrict Airways
Unfortunately, that job is not an easy one.
"He said he doesn't want to lose his spot on the heater, because if he gets up, there will be three other people you have to fight for warmness," an outreach worker said of a homeless man they spoke to.
"It hurts because it could be you. It could be either one of us," said another.
If you see someone who needs help, you can call the outreach center at 215-232-1984.
