MILWAUKEE – Keeping people warm and off the streets – that is the goal of Repairers of the Breach in Milwaukee during the latest arctic blast in southeast Wisconsin.

Opening warming center

What we know:

Repairers of the Breach at 14th and Vliet in Milwaukee was supposed to be closed during the day on Sunday, Jan. 19. But when workers saw the frigid forecast, they knew they had to extend the center’s hours.

What they’re saying:

“We called in volunteers, we called in the staff and we’re having a regular operational day on Sunday,” said James West, Repairers of the Breach executive director. “We have some people with disabilities some health problems and just older people and just some people that would not be able to move around and weather like this.”

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The workers at Repairers of the Breach plan to keep the center going until Wednesday – when they go back to regular operations.

“We usually close at 4 o’clock,” West said. “Prepare for the warming room open back up at 7 p.m., but we’re not gonna even ask them to move around for those few hours in this dangerous weather.”

Milwaukee emergency health advisory.

Local perspective:

The City of Milwaukee has issued an emergency health advisory because of the bitter cold.

The city is urging people to limit time outdoors, dress warm, check on others and take advantage of warming locations if you need it.

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With the extreme cold, warming shelters are opening up across the area. To learn more, call 211 and an operator can connect you to the closest shelter near you.