Keep warm during cold weather safely

The National Weather Service has forecast temperatures at or below 50 degrees Fahrenheit in portions of Miami-Dade County, as a cold front moves across South Florida. This cold front will bring a continued period of cool weather, with lowest wind chill values expected tonight into Wednesday morning. As a result, the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust has activated their Cold Weather Emergency Plan effective Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, and will be opening shelters for the unsheltered population.

If you require assistance with homeless sheltering, please contact the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust Helpline at 1 877- 994-HELP (4357) or 305-375-CARE (2273).

The Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and Homeless Trust will continue to monitor the weather forecasts and provide additional notifications as conditions warrant.  For forecast information specific to your area please visit: http://www.weather.gov/mfl.

The DEM and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) urge residents to take precautions to stay healthy and safe during cold weather. You can also follow DEM on X (formerly Twitter) at @MiamiDadeEM and like us on Facebook at facebook.com/MiamiDadeCountyEM for forecast information.

Cold weather safety tips:  

• Stay indoors as much as possible to keep healthy, safe, and warm. Make sure to check on friends, family members, and neighbors who are especially at risk from cold weather hazards: young children, older adults, and the chronically ill
• For outside activities, dress in multiple layers of loose-fitting clothing. Don't forget to wear a hat, scarf and mittens, or other winter gear
• Eat well-balanced meals to stay warmer. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages—they cause your body to lose heat more rapidly. Instead, drink warm beverages such as hot chocolate or hot tea to help maintain your body temperature. If you have any dietary restrictions, consult your doctor.  
• Bring pets out of the cold weather and provide them warm shelter
• Heat your home safely. If you plan to use a fireplace or space heater, be extremely careful. Make sure each appliance is properly adjusted and you have followed the manufacturer's instructions and local building codes for use
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by never using generators, charcoal grills or gas grills indoors and by installing a CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas
• Additional cold weather safety tips

Staying informed during an imminent threat or emergency is critical in helping to make the right decision for you and your family. Receiving alerts will provide you with guidance in making informed decisions. Sign up for free emergency alerts and you'll be notified about weather emergencies such as tornados, tropical storms or hurricane warnings issued by the National Weather Service or any other emergency that may require public protective actions. 

The Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management will continue to monitor weather forecasts and provide additional notifications as conditions warrant. For forecast information specific to your area, please visit http://www.weather.gov/mfl.

It is the policy of Miami-Dade County to comply with requirements of the ADA.