DAVIS COUNTY—Oct. 15 was the first day of Code Blue. It runs through April 30, 2026. A Code Blue event is when the National Weather Service predicts temperatures will drop below 18 degrees. State law mandates that the county have a Code Blue warming center for any unsheltered individuals. The Davis County Warming Center is available to them any night from 7:30 p.m.–7:30 a.m.

Last year there was some controversy as to where the warming center would be located. Ultimately, the county emissions facility in Kaysville was used. 

“Last year our requirement was to have 16 beds,” said Chanel Flores, director of Economic Development. “This year our requirement is to have 30 beds. So we’re close to doubling that amount but luckily we have a location. As a county we recently purchased Talia (reception center) at 22 E. 200 S. in Clearfield. It’s actually right next door to our health department and our senior services.” 

There are the WIC programs and so many different resources there and we have a bus stop right there, she said. “So we’re really excited about this opportunity. We’re actually only going to take a small portion of the building on the north side.”

“It will be our location going forward,” said Davis County Community Services Manager, Ryan Steinbeigle. “No taxpayer funds were used for the purchase. It came from Davis County Health Department capital funds.”  

Flores said they are planning on a couple of different things this year. “Instead of having two individuals per shift, due to the increase of individuals, we are now seeking three volunteers per shift.”

The hours are kind of the same, she said. “The first shift is 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., second shift is 11:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. and our final shift is 3:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. This is something we really need help with pushing this information out.”

This is magic, said Flores. “Volunteers are here to make sure that those individuals seeking shelter when it is under 18 degrees have somewhere safe to spend the night and not freeze to death. The more volunteers we get the better.”

Flores said another exciting thing is the county is hiring a homeless and housing coordinator position. “This person really is going to be helping us process the check ins and helping get volunteers up and running.”

There will be a training for volunteers Monday, Nov. 3 at 6 p.m. at Talia’s, she said. “We want people to be able to see it and be aware and have that training.”

This year they are required to do searches prior to any individual entering the facility, she said. “So this is just another level of safety. The Sheriff will be there again for check in and check out.”

Instead of bus pick up spots, the county will be giving out UTA bus passes, said Steinbeigle. “We’ll be handing those out to people experiencing homelessness so they can get to and from the warming center. We’re contracted with Open Doors for hotels and motels for families. We don’t allow families at the warming center.”

Open Doors does street outreach twice a week, he said. “They go throughout the community and look for individuals experiencing homelessness. So they’ll be the primary purveyor of providing the bus passes. But then when people start coming to the warming center too we’ll also be passing those out.”

The biggest challenge with this population is letting them know when there is a Code Blue, Steinbeigle said. “Some of them don’t have phones and aren’t getting the notifications from the state of Utah. So hopefully during street outreach we can let people know when we are in Code Blue.”

To volunteer contact Steinbeigle at [email protected] or go to https://daviscounty1.volunteerlocal.com/volunteer/?id=105357.