FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — As dangerously cold temperatures and elevated wildfire risks hit the region at the same time, St. Lucie County will open an emergency shelter Feb. 5 and 6 at the Percy Peek Gym in Fort Pierce — with free countywide transportation available to anyone who needs a safe place to stay.
The shelter, operated in partnership with the City of Fort Pierce and the nonprofit In the Image of Christ, will open at 5 p.m. each night and close at 8 a.m. the next morning.
To ensure residents can reach the site safely, Area Regional Transit (ART) will provide free rides from multiple pickup points between 6 p.m. and roughly 8 p.m., including:
Port St. Lucie Intermodal StationFort Pierce Intermodal Facility Prima Vista Crossing, Pinewood ParkKilmer Branch LibraryPublix Plaza at Taylor Creek
In the Image of Christ, a 501(c)(3) community organization, manages the temporary shelter whenever temperatures drop below 40 degrees for several hours. For more information, residents may contact Pastor Hazel Hoylman at 772-359-9653. Riders may bring up to four small bags (10 pounds each); hazardous or illegal items are not allowed.
County officials are urging residents to prepare for the cold snap by dressing in layers, avoiding prolonged exposure, checking on vulnerable neighbors and never using fuel-burning heaters, grills or generators indoors because of carbon monoxide dangers.
Pet owners should bring animals indoors or provide warm, dry outdoor shelter with unfrozen water. Property protection steps include insulating exposed pipes, letting faucets drip and opening cabinets under sinks to allow warm air to circulate.
Space heater reminders remain critical: keep them at least three feet from anything flammable, plug them directly into wall outlets and turn them off before sleeping or leaving the room.
Officials also warn that extreme dryness and high winds are creating high wildfire risk, even as temperatures plunge. Residents are urged to avoid outdoor burning, keep grills and smokers well away from buildings and vegetation, and avoid parking vehicles on dry grass, where hot exhaust systems can ignite brush.
Residents should stay updated through local forecasts and county communications. Emergencies should be reported to 911; non-emergencies can be directed to 772-465-5770.