Submitted by lestermagnum t3_10tnrgd in providence
“Gov. Dan McKee's spokesman Matt Sheaff said the building, which was housing about 180 people on Friday night, was preheated, but extreme winds broke the panes, bringing a chill into the main drill hall.”
hobomom t1_j78k174 wrote
High winds shattered several windows at the Cranston Street Armory — one of several warming centers open as Rhode Island weathers a cold snap — causing temperatures to drop on Saturday.
Gov. Dan McKee's spokesman Matt Sheaff said the building, which was housing about 180 people on Friday night, was preheated, but extreme winds broke the panes, bringing a chill into the main drill hall. Outside, temperatures on Friday had sunk into the single digits.
"The Governor has deployed his incoming Housing Secretary, Department of Administration Director, Emergency Management Director and the National Guard to assess and address the situation quickly in partnership with Amos House," Sheaff said. "The team is fixing the windows and bringing in temporary heaters."
The plan is to allow people to use other parts of the armory to stay overnight, and allow couples to relocate to a new shelter on Hartford Avenue.
The armory, which will remain a warming station until April 15, is one of eight 24-hour warming centers in the state, though many others are open during the day.
Wind chills over the weekend were expected to plummet as low as 25 degrees below zero, with the potential to cause frostbite in just 30 minutes, according to the National Weather Service.