Digital billboards, Metro Transit homeless action team members highlight shelter resources during cold snap
Digital billboards like this one in Hennepin County will display homeless shelter information when the temperature dips. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - As temperatures in the Twin Cities nosedive, digital billboards warning of frostbite are popping up in Hennepin County.
It’s all part of a plan to prevent frostbite, especially among the homeless.
“As the billboards say, frostbite can happen in minutes, so it’s really vital to get the information out there,” said Danielle Werder, of Hennepin County’s homelessness response team.
For the first time, Hennepin County and Clear Channel are working together to prevent frostbite, which is an injury caused by the freezing of the skin.
“It’s really important to get the information out of how to avoid it and prevent it and seek medical attention quickly,” Werder said.
Frostbite can take effect in just minutes.
The digital messages are providing information about area warming shelters, which could be a helpful resource for those who are homeless.
“This is our attempt to help bring services and information to folks who need it but we know that this is a daily reality for some people,” Werder said. “And so we’re trying to be as helpful as we can knowing that they’re really in a hard spot.”
The signage will go up when weather conditions drop to 10 degrees below zero. Werder says the county has a shelter system that works and the focus of the signage is to spread the word.
“We want this to be helpful to folks, so we want to make sure that folks are seeing them and getting to the places where they need to go,” Werder said.
Clear Channel is sponsoring the messaging for free.
METRO TRANSIT
Often a refuge for the homeless during the cold, Metro Transit is also working to make sure train riders know where they can find a warm bed during this cold snap.
As of May, riders can no longer stay on the Green Line all night to stay warm, so the homeless action team from Metro Transit will be out in force from 9 p.m. until the morning to help people who have nowhere to go find available shelter space.
"Our homeless action team has been really successful not only in placing folks, but also building some relationships with folks just to keep an eye out for people," said Metro Transit spokesperson Howie Padilla.
For more information about daytime warm spaces, visit hennepin.us/staywarm.
For information about overnight shelter for individuals and families, visit hennepin.us/shelter.