ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – In the spirit of the winter holidays, temperatures are likely to be low. While people in their homes can turn up the heat, it creates issues for the homeless population.
In response, several Roanoke facilities are serving as warming centers, including Roanoke Area Ministries (RAM House), who expects to see more people inside, as they encourage them to escape the cold.
“It’s dangerous and it’s miserable,” Melissa Woodson, the executive director of RAM House, said. “People deserve at the very least to have something to eat and warmth, especially two days before Christmas.”
The Salvation Army is also using its Center of Hope as a warming center for the rest of the year.
Like the RAM House, it’s encouraging as many people as possible to come and seek shelter.
“Anybody is welcome,” Nisha Spears, the assistant pastor and administrator at the Salvation Army, said. “Even if your power is out outside, if you’re sleeping outside, we want you to come in.”
The cold weather also affects people traveling this week.
According to Triple A, it’s best for any traveler to know the weather conditions throughout their trip before they go.
“If you’re traveling up to the northeast or the upper Midwest, some of those areas where there’s a very good chance of snow, check on that forecast,” Morgan Dean, the Mid-Atlantic spokesperson for Triple A, said. “Know what the roads look like along the way, very important things in making sure you get there safely.”
The colder temperatures will also compress people’s tires.
While this may be an inconvenience to some, officials say be mindful when putting air into them.
“I’ve seen it in my own personal car, once it starts getting colder, the pressure drops, but once the tires heat up, it’ll gradually rise,” Sergeant R.A. Hodges of the Roanoke Police Department Community Response Unit said. “Just make sure your tire pressure is topped off and just monitor it.”
Sergeant Hodges also encourages people to seek warmth as soon as possible if their vehicle breaks down on the road.