DEEP FREEZE: Shelters make room for homeless who need to escape the cold

JESSIE HIGGINS / Courier & Press Rose Love, 28, sorts through the blankets available at the United Caring Shelters emergency night shelter, called White Flag, on Friday afternoon. Love usually sleeps in her car, but shes stayed at white flag during the coldest nights. Some of them are pretty run down, Love said. They do what they can. The shelter staff says they need more blankets for the coming cold weather.

JESSIE HIGGINS / Courier & Press A homeless man gathers up a new blanket and a few other supplies he received from the Aurora Homeless Outreach Team Friday. The man, who did not wish to be named, said he stays in a camp with his girlfriend. Because they drink regularly, he is not usually permitted in the Evansville shelters, and he is reluctant to try because he would have to leave his belongings out. The United Caring Shelter and the Evansville Rescue Mission both open emergency shelter space for people during extreme weather.

Homeless shelters in Evansville are making room to take in as many people as possible when the subzero temperatures hit next week.

The United Caring Services and the Evansville Rescue Mission both open whats called white flag shelters whenever the temperatures drop below freezing. That means when all the beds are full, the shelters give people blankets, pads or cots (if they have them) and a space on the floor.

With temperatures forecast to reach record lows by Sunday, the shelters expect they will be inundated with people seeking warmth.

At least youre out of the cold, said Rose Love, an Evansville woman who has stayed at the UCS White Flag Shelter for the past few days. Its not bad.

Love usually sleeps in her car, but that is dangerous when the temperature drops. In freezing weather, homeless people sleeping outside, under bridges, in abandoned buildings or in cars are susceptible to frost bite and hypothermia. And that risk increases if they have consumed alcohol, which some do, homeless service workers say.

No amount of clothing or cover will be adequate to maintain body temperature when it is near zero degrees for an extended period of time, the United Caring Services wrote in a public service announcement issued Friday that urged homeless people to come to their white flag shelter at 324 NW Sixth St.

Under normal circumstances, UCS will not allow people to stay if they are intoxicated. However, the shelter suspends the rule when the weather drops below freezing, as long as the intoxicated person complies with staff and does not disturb other white flag residents, said Kimron Reising, UCS executive director.

Sheriffs deputies will usually stop by two or three times during the night, but we have very few problems, Reising said. Everyone is really grateful for someplace to be out of the cold.

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DEEP FREEZE: Shelters make room for homeless who need to escape the cold