Chautauqua County is under a State of Emergency, as declared Monday night by Gov. Kathy Hochul. Cattaraugus, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Allegany, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Oneida and contiguous counties have also been affected by the current lake effect snowstorm.

Wind chill readings bottomed out Monday night and Tuesday morning at -23 in Jamestown while Clymer was at -17 and Fredonia at -14.

There is one cold blue shelter in Chautauqua County, located at 917 Washington St., Jamestown.

Carmelo Hernandez, director of Community Mental Hygiene Services, said during a news conference Tuesday that the center can hold up to 40 people. Through much of this winter, there have been between 30 to 35 people staying there.

Office of the Aging Interim Director Dana Corwin encourages residents to check on their older neighbors and relatives, who may have a harder time with the colder temperatures.

He said Code Blue shelters, otherwise known as emergency shelters, can be utilized when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. To use the facility, the process is more streamlined than when applying for emergency housing.

Should the Washington Avenue facility reach capacity, Hernandez said the county does have additional rooms available that are being rented.

In the north end of the county, Hernandez said there have been “no more than six” people who have needed emergency shelter. Those individuals are being housed at area hotels, specifically for Code Blue.

There are a number of warming shelters around the county as well, including libraries, Chautauqua Opportunities Inc., Department of Mental Hygiene and Social Services, and more.

During the news conference, Dana Corwin, interim director of the Office for the Aging, encouraged people to check in on their older relatives and neighbors. “The elderly may be less likely to sense and respond to these low temperatures that we are receiving,” she said.

Corwin noted that diabetes, thyroid problems, arthritis or Parkinson’s Disease – which are common among senior citizens – can limit people’s abilities to deal with cold temperatures or snow, including shoveling or clearing snow around vents.

County Public Health Director Lacey Wilson encouraged everyone to stay inside if possible.

When going outside, she said wear light layers and stay hydrated. “As you pack on those layers, you perspire more, so you don’t want to suffer dehydration,” she said.

She added that the lower the wind chill, the quicker frostbite can set in.”These extreme temperatures can cause frostbite on exposed skin within 30 minutes and increase the risk of hypothermia,” she said.

County Emergency Services Director Noel Guttman said it’s important when using electric space heaters to not use extension cords. “Those have often been times of fires in the county,” he said.

County Executive PJ Wendel thanked all of the department leaders who spoke. “These temperatures are very critical. … We ask everyone to use an abundance of caution,” he said.

According to the National Weather Service, in Chautauqua County temperatures Wednesday are going to continue to be cold, with a high near 10 degrees. Wind chill values will be as low as -25.