Area city officials prepare for upcoming freezing weather

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Emergency management officials from across the tri-county are preparing for a significant drop in overnight temperatures this week.

Ben Almquist, Director of Emergency Management for the City of Charleston, said the city is coordinating with its stakeholders to ensure warming shelters and utility companies are ready to act as cold weather settles into the area.

Many people in downtown Charleston were bundled up Wednesday afternoon, and many homes had their plants wrapped up to protect them from the cold.

City officials ask community members to stay home during the frigid temperatures. They also recommend following home safety tips to ensure water pipes don’t freeze, like leaving faucets dripping and opening cabinets with pipes inside.

Dorchester County officials say they are prepared to coordinate with the SC Department of Transportation, close roads if needed, and request help for roads that may need to be salted or scraped.

“The biggest thing is going to be limit your exposure. If you do have to be out layer up, we don’t see temperatures like this very often, so we want to make sure we take the precautions,” Almquist said. “Just make sure you’re doing what you need to do to stay safe.”

If you need a place to stay warm, keep in mind there are warming centers open, some for those in need for each of the next few nights. Visit here to see a list of warming centers open.