Season's First 'Code Blue Alert' Declared In Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- With temperatures predicted to fall into single-digits with wind chill, Baltimore City Health Commissioner Dr. Leana Wen today issued a Code Blue declaration for Baltimore City overnight tonight until noon Friday.

This is the first Code Blue alert for Baltimore this season.

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"Code Blue means that we encourage residents to stay indoors in heated areas," Wen says. "Extreme cold weather can be just as dangerous as extreme hot weather. This is the time to watch out for those most vulnerable among us, especially children, older adults, and those with chronic medical conditions. Because the highest risk is during the early morning hours, be sure to check on your elderly neighbors to ensure that they have heat and power tonight."

Code Blue is a multi-agency effort to reduce hypothermia deaths this winter by protecting vulnerable populations from extreme temperatures. The Health Commissioner may declare a Code Blue alert when temperatures, including wind chill, are expected to be 13˚F or below or when other conditions are severe enough to present a substantial threat to the life or health of vulnerable Baltimore citizens.

Last winter, the state Medical Examiner's office recorded three hypothermia-related deaths in Baltimore City.

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