Whether you live in the Midwest (or Northeast) or not, you’ve likely heard about the polar vortex that’s slamming much of the country. Talking about the weather can sometimes take on a contagious hysteria, but according to meteorologists, these temperatures and conditions are absolutely no joke. In fact, they could be life-threatening, especially to people who are homeless, low-income, or otherwise don’t have access to proper shelter or winter attire.
Before we delve into what is (and isn’t) being done to protect these vulnerable communities, let’s break down the details of this polar vortex.
First: What even is a polar vortex? Basically, the polar vortex refers to cold air that circles around the north pole. This doesn’t have much of an impact on the United States until it becomes destabilized and this frigid air heads toward us. This freezing air combined with moisture can lead to the sort of winter storms we want to hide inside from.
Right now, this polar vortex has led to record-breaking subzero temperatures in much of the Midwest. Some areas are literally experiencing temperatures colder than Antartica. Curious about numbers? Some places are clocking in at minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit—oh, and a wind chill of 75 degrees below zero.
Frostbite can occur in minutes. And frostbite, by the way, can lead to people losing fingers, toes, chins, and noses from exposure. Now imagine if you aren’t properly dressed.
As with anything to do with the weather (or humanity in general), President Donald Trump decided to mock the situation on Twitter:
Trump’s asinine commentary aside, there’s been a lot of advice circulating the internet on how to prepare for these incredibly harsh conditions.
Make sure your pipes don’t freeze by keeping your faucets running, for example. Check your flights ahead of time to see if airports are closing. Call out of work, or ask to work remotely.
All of this is reasonable advice, but it speaks to a certain class and socioeconomic group. Even in areas where schools have closed or mail services are reduced, many low-income workers won’t have the sick days or paid time off available to simply avoid going outside. Some people rely on a combination of walking (or biking) and taking public transit to not just get to work, but to get anywhere, such as the pharmacy for a prescription or the local store for groceries.
For people living with disabilities, these conditions can be additionally concerning. People who rely on delivery services to access food or medications may have limited options given the weather conditions or may end up isolated because friends, family, or colleagues aren’t able to access them.
What about people who are homeless or live in unstable housing? States (and even cities within states) are all approaching it differently. In Minnesota, for example, churches, libraries, and even buses will function as “ warming centers,” while in Illinois, warming centers are popping up in public spaces, in addition to field houses.
Grassroots organizations and nonprofits are also mobilizing on a person-to-person level. For example, Sheila Greshman, a volunteer with Free Hot Soup KC, has raised $700 in donations to deliver gloves, sleeping bags, blankets, and gift cards to local restaurants, as reported by KSHB Kansas City.
Also in Kansas City, Jennifer McCartney, founder of the nonprofit KC Heroes, recommends passing out pre-packaged food, warm clothes, and other supplies to homeless camps around Kansas City.
"If we can spend a couple hours of our time away from our warm homes, away from our tables full of food, to come out here and give them the supplies they need just to get through the night, then that's right, we're gonna do it," McCartney told KSHB Kansas City.
John Tribbett, a street outreach manager at Minneapolis’ St. Stephen’s, talked to The Huffington Post about how important it is to advocate for change to help communities on a regular basis, and not just during emergency conditions:
“If you buy someone a cup a coffee in this weather and that keeps them inside for a couple hours that’s great,” Tribbett told the Post. “But then you go home and sit with your cup of coffee and write some letters to politicians to bring about some change.”
And if you’re curious about just how widely spread homelessness is in this country, a report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development speaks for itself. When looking at just one night in January 2018, about 553,000 people were homeless across the country. Homeless communities are frequently disenfranchised, lack access to medical care, face job discrimination, and experience food insecurity. The very last thing they should have to worry about in the wealthiest country in the world is keeping their limbs.