Newark, NJ – June 19, 2024 — Mayor Ras J. Baraka and Department of Health and Community Wellness Director Ketlen Baptiste Alsbrook announced that the City of Newark is activating a CODE RED for 11 a.m. Thursday, June 20 through 8 p.m. Friday, June 21. Temperatures are expected to rise into the hi-90s with a temperature as high as 97°F and a heat index as high as 101°F. The City of Newark will experience its first Code Red for the season with temperatures exceeding 90°F for two days or more.
The Health Department urges Newark residents to take precautions to prevent serious illness that can result from extreme heat, especially among the most vulnerable populations such as seniors and those with chronic health problems or mental health conditions. Vulnerable Newark residents should use air conditioning to stay cool, drink water at regular intervals, and limit strenuous activity,especially during the hottest parts of the day (which are from 11 a.m. to 4p.m.).
The City is reminding residents that emergency shelters are operating during extremely hot weather. The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services is collaborating with community-based organizations to provide overnight shelter for residents with no address. For more information regarding sheltering services,contact the shelters listed below or the Office of Homeless Services at(973) 877- 9481, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services and its partners are committed to supporting residents that may need services during a code red. During this emergency,additional street outreach is conducted to Newark residents who are unsheltered, encouraging them to enter emergency shelters or visit drop-in or cooling centers.
The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services also has a texting hotline for the public to use to help any unsheltered resident in need of services. The public may text “Path Home” to 855-11 if they see someone on the street that needs non-emergency assistance. The text is sent to street outreach teams that will locate the person and offer services.
The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services will deploy street outreach workers to engage Newark’s homeless population from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., 7 days a week. Attention is focused on homeless “hot spots” such as Penn Station, city parks, under bridges, and areas off McCarter Highway, etc., and especially chronically homeless individuals and those with mental health and substance abuse issues. If you identify homeless individuals in need of services, text “Path Home”to 855-11.
For additional information on how to beat the heat, visit http://www.newarknj.gov or follow the Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness social media pages at http://www.facebook.com/NewarkDHCW and http://www.twitter.com/NewarkDHCW.