from staff reports



Tonight and this weekend will be harsh times to try to brave the elements outdoors, but unfortunately people who don’t already have a warm, dry place to sleep the next few nights are more likely than usual to have trouble finding one.

Officials had yet to decide whether they would open local emergency shelters Wednesday, and regular shelters that are always open were already nearly full.

Homeland Security Director Tim Miller said no decision on whether to open the Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency operated emergency shelter at Central United Methodist Church will be made until the weather proves itself bad enough to warrant it.

Red Cross Key Chapter Director Susan Wehr said she, too, would not decide whether or not to open a Red Cross emergency shelter until the bad weather that is forecast actually gets here. Wehr said the Red Cross will likely not open its shelter unless power lines go down.

Major Ron Welch of the local Salvation Army chapter said the Salvation Army shelter will be open and accepting as many people as the fire marshal allows, even if some have to sleep on the floor. Welch said the shelter has already had a large number of men turning to them for shelter from the cold.

The Salvation Army shelter is open to men over the age of 18 and does not accept men who are under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and is not able to accept women or children.

South Harbor Shelter does accept women and children, but said the facilities for women and children were full as of Wednesday. At that time, they had five spaces available for men.