Keller, Roanoke and Fort Worth have opened warming centers in response to subfreezing temperatures and rolling blackouts caused by a winter storm.
Keller announced Feb. 16 that the city’s warming center at Keller Public Library, 640 Johnson Road, would be open until further notice while the city experiences power outages. The warming center is not set up to accommodate pets. In an online statement, Mayor Armin Mizani urged residents to go to the warming center if they experienced a long-term power outage.
Roanoke announced late Feb. 16 that it would close the warming center at the Recreation Center, 501 Roanoke Road, and scale back staff at the warming center at the old City Hall, 108 S. Oak St., as power is restored to the city. The warming center on Oak Street can accommodate residents with medical needs, and it also accepts pets that must be leashed or in a crate. In the statement, the city said that it would open another warming center if needed.
Fort Worth announced Feb. 16 that an overnight warming center would be open 24/7 at the Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., until Feb. 18 at noon. The center provides cots and restroom facilities, but residents should bring their own blankets and food, the city said. Pets are not allowed.
Several city-run warming centers are also open during the day throughout Fort Worth, as of Feb. 16. These warming centers do not provide cots, but pets in crates or travel carriers are allowed. They will be open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. through Feb. 18.
- Worth Heights Community Center, 3551 New York Ave.
- Handley Meadowbrook Community Center, 6201 Beaty St.
- Diamond Hill Community Center, 1701 NE 36th St.
- North Tri-Ethnic Community Center, 2950 Roosevelt Ave.
- Summerglen Library, 4205 Basswood Blvd.
- Southwest Community Center, 6300 Welch Ave.
Feb. 16 began the second consecutive day of blackouts across Texas caused by severe winter weather. As demand overwhelmed electrical grid capacity, the state reached 30,000 megawatts worth of outages, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas. ERCOT said in a Feb. 16 statement that it was optimistic that conditions would improve as additional wind, solar and thermal power becomes available, but the actual amount of power restored to residents could not be predicted.
Residents using the warming centers will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. For more information and updates, residents should check the Keller, Roanoke or Fort Worth city websites.
