With severe cold weather forecasted for the coming week, the City of Tulsa is working with Housing Solutions Tulsa and A Way Home for Tulsa agencies to mobilize resources to protect the lives of people experiencing homelessness.
Local shelters, warming stations, and outreach teams are working diligently to ensure everyone has access to safe, warm spaces during this cold weather.
Available Resources
Shelters and Warming Stations: Tulsa shelters and temporary warming locations are open to provide refuge. Visit Housing Solutions’ Winter Weather Information Page for a complete list of locations and hours of operation.
The main warming stations in Tulsa include:
NEW overflow shelters opening for this event include:
Outreach Teams: Thirty-five outreach teams from Housing Solutions are distributing essential winter items such as blankets, gloves, and hats while connecting individuals with indoor spaces.
What to Do if You Encounter Someone Unhoused and in Need of Help:
In an Emergency: Call 911 immediately for urgent medical or safety concerns.
Request Outreach Assistance: If someone needs help from an outreach team on-site, fill out an Outreach Request Form and we will send someone out to check on them as quickly as possible.
Important Safety Reminder
While community support is vital, the City and its partners ask the public to refrain from donating firewood directly to individuals during this cold weather event. High winds significantly increase the risk of fires, and open flames can pose a danger to both individuals and nearby structures.
How You Can Help
Donate Winter Gear: Items such as warm blankets, hats, gloves, and socks are greatly needed. Donations can be made at Tulsa Day Center, 415 W. Archer.
Support Local Shelters: Monetary contributions to local shelters and outreach teams ensure quick and flexible support where it’s most needed.
Stay updated on winter weather resources and assistance for those experiencing homelessness by visiting Housing Solutions’ Winter Weather Information Page or following Housing Solutions on social media.
If you’re an organization interested in opening as an overflow shelter location during weather events, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/weather and click the “Warming Stations” drop down.
Free Transportation Monday & Tuesday
Metro Link Tulsa will offer free bus rides on Monday and Tuesday because of the cold weather.
Cold Weather Safety & Reporting
The City of Tulsa wants to remind residents of the safety measures to deploy at home or while traveling during times of extreme cold. In short, ensure space heaters are used safely, operate generators outside only, never use an oven as a heating source, limit your time outdoors, stay off frozen bodies of water, and always check on your neighbors.
As a reminder, extended severe cold can sometimes cause waterline breaks on City streets and in neighborhoods. You can first check the waterline break board, https://www.cityoftulsa.org/breakboard, to see if a break has already been reported. If not, you can report it by calling (918) 596-9488.
Visit www.cityoftulsa.org/weather to learn more about winter weather preparedness, safety tips, and reporting measures.
Animal Safety
If the temperature is below 25 degrees, by ordinance, animals must be provided with a doghouse or other shelter that is capable of maintaining 40 degrees minimum. Tulsa Animal Services highly recommends animals are brought inside during periods of cold weather. In cases where space is a limitation, animals can be brought into a bathroom, laundry room, or garage.
Street Preparations
The City of Tulsa Streets Division on standby for the weekend for any needs that may arise due to potential winter weather. With the current prediction, the main effort that we would potentially see being needed would be applying brine to elevated surfaces (bridges, overpasses, etc.). The City has four brine trucks, and crews will be called in if needed. If you see large City vehicles or snow plows out, keep your distance and never try to pass them while they are actively working. As a rule of thumb, if you don’t have to be out during times of winter weather, don’t be out.
As background, the City of Tulsa is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the Gilcrease Expressway (except for the Turnpike section), L.L. Tisdale Expressway and all arterial (main) streets. Other highway segments in Tulsa are the responsibility of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation.
To see all of the resources the City uses to treat Tulsa’s roads, in addition to a map of the City’s snow and ice routes, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/winterpreparedness.
More Information
Want to receive updates on emergency weather information and create a disaster plan for your family? Download the free Tulsa Ready app, compatible with Android and iOS systems.
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