LAWTON Okla_ If you have a
home with a heater and a cup of hot chocolate, then this winter weather might
excite you. If you don't have a place to keep warm, there's nothing worse.
A local shelter
has been preparing all day for what is sure to be a busy night. Several
questions have arisen at the C. Carter Crane Shelter. How many can the shelter
house? Is it full already? Have more people tried to get in than beds available?
What can people do if there is no room here? Needless to say, it's been a busy
day at the shelter.
"I came in
about 7:30 this morning, and I don't think the phone has stopped since,"
Shelter Director Sarah Head said.
Even though
this morning the roads were still dry and the temperatures just beginning to
drop, director Sarah Head knew it would be a busy day. When winter weather is
on tap, it's a race against the clock.
"We do our
best to fill up every bed, before the weather gets so severe that we can't get
anybody in or out because of the roads," Head said.
So, she and her
staff had extra blankets ready and made sure the coat closet was stocked.
"We're
starting to make sure that all the canned food, in case we lose power, is
available to our clients," Head said, "As well as an ice chest available, in
case we do lose power to keep what food we can."
When extreme
weather is at play, the local shelters do their best to coordinate with one
another. So, no one is left without a roof over their head.
"When we fill up, we do redirect our
clients to a different venue," Head said. "So, they're not left out in the
cold."
If you or someone you know is still out in the elements looking for a
place to sleep tonight, give the C. Carter Crane Shelter a call.
Even if their beds are full, the staff here will give you a number of
another shelter, or if worse comes to worst, Sarah Head said she'll roll in a
cot.
