Saturday, Dec. 21, marked the beginning of astronomical winter for the Northern Hemisphere. Typically in Missouri, some of the coldest temperatures and most active weather patterns follow close behind. In fact, according to the Farmers’ Almanac, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Missouri was -40 degrees in Warsaw on Feb. 13, 1905.
Camden County Emergency Management Agency Director Samantha Dale said the recent warmer-than-average temperatures may have some believing that this winter won’t be all that bad, and while she hopes that’s the case, she wants to be prepared in case it isn’t. That’s why she’s in the process of looking for a few more churches or organizations that will agree to serve as temporary warming shelters.
Currently, all Camden County libraries will serve as warming centers by providing a location during their normal business hours for guests to get out of the cold. However, she said just two churches — Community Christian Church in Camdenton and the Church at Osage Hills in Osage Beach — have agreed to act as warming shelters and stay open beyond their normal business hours to provide sleeping accommodations, showers, food and water.
“I’d really like to get a few more because our county is large and if the weather is bad, people who live in outlying areas might not be able to drive that far,” she said.
Dale said that both warming centers and shelters are required to be ADA compliant but only locations serving as shelters are required to provide a male and a female chaperone every hour the shelter is open.
“Community Christian had cots set up in their commons area – kind of like a lunchroom. Osage Hills did the same. The men and women were separated on opposite sides of the room and families were allowed to stay together,” she said, adding that both churches broke the chaperone shifts into two- or three-hour blocks. And while the churches are responsible for obtaining guidelines from their insurance companies about what is and is not covered outside of normal business hours, “the churches decide when they’re going to open and what will trigger that opening. I don’t make that decision.”
The EMA provides cots, wool blankets and bottled water for temporary shelters and also has emergency items like generators that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The individual shelters decide how meals are handled.
“If any church or organization is interested, we will meet with them and walk them through the process and we’ll even stay with them on the first night they’re open. We want to make this as easy as possible,” Dale said.
For more information on Camden County, visit emacamdenmo.org and click on the Warming/Cooling Centers and Warming Shelters. Dale can be contacted via email at camdencountyema@camdenmo.org or by calling 573-346-7108.
Miller County
Mara Clement, community health manager at the Miller County Health Center, said information on warming centers or shelters in Miller County is provided by the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services and shared on the Miller County Health Center Facebook page.
For a searchable list of all the active warming centers in the entire state, visit health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/hypothermia, scroll down the page and then click on the “Find a Warming Center” link.
The state advises checking with warming centers before heading there to learn about current requirements. Facilities listed are subject to being closed if their administrative authorities close during normal business operations due to weather conditions.
WARMING SHELTERS CAMDEN COUNTY
Community Christian Church 1064 N. Business Route 5 in Camdenton, 573-346-5546
Hours of operation: Call for information
The Church at Osage Hills 5237 Osage Beach Parkway in Osage Beach, 573-348-1030
Hours of operation: Call for information
WARMING CENTERS CAMDEN COUNTY
Camden County Library District 89 Rodeo Road in Camdenton, 573-346-5954
Hours of operation: Monday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Tuesday-Friday 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Climax Springs Library 14157 North State Highway 7 in Climax Springs, 573-347-2722
Hours of operation: Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Macks Creek Library 90 State Road N in Macks Creek, 573-363-5530
Hours of operation: Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Osage Beach Library at 1064 Gutridge Lane in Osage Beach, 573-348-3282
MILLER COUNTY
WARMING SHELTERS
Heartland Regional Library 308 East First Street in Eldon, 573-392-6657
Hours of operation: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday 9 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Heartland Regional Library at 304 North St. Louis in Iberia, 573-793-6746
Hours of operation: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 1-5 p.m.; Thursday 1-7 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Miller County Library Service 308 East First Street in Eldon, 573-392-6657
Hours of operation: Call for information
Miller County Library Service 304 North Saint Louis Street in Iberia, 573-793-6746
Hours of operation: Call for information
MORGAN COUNTY
WARMING SHELTERS
Ivy Bend Youth Center at 4039 Saw Mill Road in Stover - 573-569-3310; Open as needed
Morgan County Library 600 North Hunter in Versailles, 573-378-5319
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-1p.m.
Otterville City Hall 204 North Cherry Street, 660-366-4613
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Westside Senior Center 1501 Highway O in Laurie, 573-372-3588
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 8 a.m.– 4 p.m. - Will be closed if weather is severe.
