Hoboken Public Safety Department offers winter safety tips to residents

The winter heating season is here, and the Hoboken Public Safety Department and Hoboken Health Department remind residents to stay warm, safe, and healthy.

Hoboken property owners are required to provide adequate heat from Oct. 1 through May 1. As per Hoboken municipal code, property owners must provide heating facilities which are properly installed, maintained in good and safe working conditions, and are capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms and bathrooms to a temperature of at least 70-degrees. Tenants experiencing insufficient heat, or other heat related issues, should contact their landlord first. If the issue is not resolved, residents should contact the Hoboken Health Department at 201-420-2375 or schedule an appointment with the City’s tenant advocate at https://sobelhancannonllp.simplybook.me/v2/.‍

Space heaters are permitted in Hoboken but can be a dangerous fire hazard if not used properly. The Hoboken Fire Department offers the following safety tips for space heaters:  

• Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything flammable including clothing, curtains, or paper.
• Do not leave your space heater unattended; turn it off when leaving the room, house, or going to sleep.
• Place heaters on the floor and never on furniture or countertops.  
• Plug heaters directly into sockets and not into extension cords or power strips.

‍Hoboken EMS reminds residents to reduce the risk of cold weather emergencies by taking precautions, including:  

• Dress in layers, including a coat, gloves, and hat.
• Keep an emergency kit in the car, including blankets and emergency supplies.  
• Be aware of the signs of hypothermia and frostbite.
• Prevent slips, trips, and falls by using proper footwear, take small steps, and avoid walking on ice.

Property owners and occupants are reminded they have six hours after a snowstorm ends to remove snow and ice from sidewalks adjacent to their property, along with adjoining corner ramps, curb cuts, fire hydrants, and other public facilities. It is illegal and dangerous to shovel snow back into the street or on a fire hydrant.

For those experiencing homelessness, the Hudson County Winter Emergency System Protocols are in effect through March 31, 2024. The system, which includes the Hoboken Shelter, is meant to provide shelter for those who seek it and to prevent anyone from sleeping on the street in the colder winter months. As part of the protocols, the Hudson County Warming Center will be open overnight, at the Naval Reserve Facility in Kearny for those in need. Transportation to the warming center will be provided from five locations throughout the county including Hoboken. Pickup is at 7:30 p.m. on Observer Highway at Park Avenue. Overnight clients will be brought back to Hoboken beginning at 8 a.m.

For more information on the County winter emergency system protocols, go to: http://www.hudsoncountynj.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2022-2023_HC_Winter.pdf.

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