Philadelphia Residents Make Most Of Snowy Day As City Prepares For Code Blue Conditions
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The Philadelphia School District went all-virtual on Friday because of the weather. Many families made the most of a snowy day while the city prepares for code blue conditions tonight.
The first significant amount of snow drew in its usual crowd. Sledding, tubing, or snow angels in the park.
"I'm gonna be out here all day," Harry said.
Regardless of how cold it is, the temperature is just right for kids playing in the snow.
"I didn't want to miss their first day out on the snow," Melissa Donner of West Philly said.
The city tallied 3.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service.
Friday was not considered a snow day for Philadelphia Public and Catholic school students, but families made the best of it.
"I'm on my lunch break right now," student Ziggy Bonarek of West Philly said.
"It makes me pretty sad that we can't just hang out all day, and I have to go to class but this is our lunch and recess break," student Sengele Tulante of West Philly said.
"It's mean to take away their snow days when they have so much going on," Leonard Bonarek of West Philly said. "It's great to do something that feels a bit normal."
What's normal after a bout of snow is clean up. Soft powder meant digging out was fairly easy.
Whether navigating wet roadways or scurrying to their destinations while bundled up, temperatures are expected to drop overnight. The cold is expected to linger.
"The bottom line is that we don't want people to freeze to death so it's all hands on deck to keep people safe and warm," Office of Homeless Services Director Liz Hersh said.
The city is going into "code blue." First responders and outreach teams from the Department of Homeless Services are out checking on those exposed to dangerously cold temperatures and into shelters.
"There they're getting three meals a day, they have a bed to sleep on, they can take a nice hot shower. All the things we take for granted when we have a place to live," Hersh said.
For those in their own homes, remember it's never a good idea to use your stove as a heater.
If you know someone in your community who is homeless, please contact the 24-hour Project Homeless Coordination Center Hotline at (215) 232-1984.
