Drastic Drop In Temperature Expected In Cherry Hill

CHERRY HILL, NJ — Camden County is expected to see a drop of 30 degrees by Friday night, and temperatures will remain frigid throughout the week. On Friday, the temperature was 62 degrees, but was expected to drop to 32 degrees by Friday night, according to the National Weather Service. A low of 13 degrees was expected Saturday night.

As a result, Camden County will be under a Code Blue advisory into next week. The Health Officer has issued the Code Blue advisory for Camden County effective each night from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., beginning Jan. 13 and ending the morning of Jan. 18.

“We are expecting the temperature to drop significantly this weekend, with overnight temperatures well below freezing. In these extreme weather conditions, we need everyone to be sheltered and out of the elements,” Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services, said. “While this week provided a welcome reprieve from the blistering cold, there is still a lot of winter left to endure. Please remember to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, and to bring your pets indoors as the arctic air blows in.”

When the Camden County Health Officer declares a Code Blue Weather Advisory, municipalities with homeless populations, situational homeless or transient populations are expected to activate their Code Blue response plan to accommodate their immediate needs.

The Camden County Health Department and the Office of Emergency Management have worked with each municipality to ensure they have the proper resources to respond to these severe weather situations as part of their individual Code Blue plans. Each municipality has identified its own location to accommodate those in their community seeking shelter from the severe weather.

In Cherry Hill, there are three warming centers:

Cherry Hill Twp. Comm. Ctr.
820 Mercer St.
Cherry Hill, NJ
Tel: 856-488-7800
Open: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Cherry Hill Mall
2000 Route 38 West
Cherry Hill, NJ
Tel: 856-662-7441
Open: 10:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m.

Cherry Hill Public Library
1100 Kings Hwy North
Cherry Hill, NJ
Tel: 856-667-0300
Open: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

Additional resources are available by calling the Camden County Department of Health and Human Services at 800-999-9045, or by visiting www.camdencounty.com.

In the event that the weather causes isolated power outages, residents are reminded to immediately call their utility company so they can identify the location and coordinate crews to restore their power. Any storm has the potential to bring down trees and power lines, so residents need to be extra cognizant of any power failures. Below are numbers and contact info for the two power providers in Camden County:

• PSE&G: 1-800-436-PSEG (7734)
• PSEG website: http://pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/index.jsp
• South Jersey Gas: 1-800-582-7060
• South Jersey Gas website: http://southjerseygas.com/
• Atlantic City Electric: 1-800-833-7476; http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com/home/

Rodriguez also provided some tips for keeping pets warm and safe:

• When the thermometer dips below 32 degrees, keep your pet indoors as much as possible. If your pet must stay outside, provide a warm shelter, raised a few inches off the ground, with the opening facing away from the wind and covered with a burlap or plastic flap. The shelter should be large enough for the animal to stand and turn around, but small enough to retain its body heat.
• If your pet is outdoors for extended periods when temperatures are below freezing (32 degrees), be alert for signs of distress from the cold. Just like in people, shivering is a sign that the body temperature is dropping. If you see your pet shivering, it is probably time to bring it inside. Remember, your pet's body temperature is between 101-102 degrees and its body temperature lowers faster in cold weather.
• A very young, very old pet or a pet with a health problem is more vulnerable to cold.
• An animal with thick fur can tolerate cold longer than a small animal and one with short hair.
• Don't leave your pet in an unheated vehicle for extended periods of time.
• Make sure your pet has clean unfrozen drinking water. Do not let your pet drink from puddles where there may be deadly antifreeze or other harmful chemicals.
• A pet can pick up rock salt, ice and other melting chemicals in their foot pads. This can harm your pet. Massaging petroleum jelly into paw pads before going outside helps to protect from salt and chemical agents. Moisturizing after a good toweling off helps to heal chapped paws. Wipe your pet's feet with a damp cloth when it comes inside to protect its pads from damage. If this is a problem for your pet, there are boots available in all sizes. Your dog can get used to wearing the boots indoors for short periods of time. Not all dogs take to them.
• If there are outside cats in the neighborhood, knock on the hood of your vehicle and look under it before starting your engine and driving off. Cats sometimes curl up next to or under warm engines when they are left out in the cold.
• Antifreeze has an attractive scent and taste for animals and is extremely poisonous! Be especially vigilant about the ingestion of antifreeze. The first sign of antifreeze poisoning is a pet that appears drunk. Immediately get your pet to the vet if you suspect it has ingested antifreeze as it can be fatal within four to eight hours of ingestion.

Patch file photo