DeKalb County will open several warming centers from January 15 through January 19, 2026, in response to expected freezing temperatures and hazardous wind chills. The county announced that the centers will begin operating at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, and continue through Monday, January 19.
The overnight warming locations available on January 15 and January 17 include Exchange Park Intergenerational Center (2771 Columbia Dr., Decatur), Frontline Response International (2585 Gresham Rd SE, Atlanta), St. Vincent de Paul (2050-C Chamblee Tucker Rd, Chamblee), and Mason Mill Recreation Center (1340 McConnell Dr, Decatur). Mason Mill Recreation Center will only be open on Thursday, January 15.
From Saturday through Monday (January 17-19), Frontline Response International and Exchange Park Intergenerational Center will operate as 24-hour facilities. St. Vincent de Paul will provide services for Saturday and Sunday only before returning to overnight operations on Monday.
In addition to county-operated centers, community partners are offering additional support. New Life Community Alliance Warming Center at 3592 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur is open nightly from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., with capacity for up to 35 people. Tucker First United Methodist Church’s Cold Weather Refuge at its Activities Center (4315 Church Street, Tucker) is available for men and women from January 15 and again from January 17-20; admission is between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., with guests departing by 8:00 a.m.
Transportation routes have been established for those seeking shelter. Pickups originate from Frontline Response Headquarters with initial pickups completed by 7:30 p.m., followed by final sweeps ending promptly at 10 p.m. Four transportation routes cover North DeKalb/Chamblee-Tucker, Central/Decatur/Emory, East/Stone Mountain/Candler, and South Central/Memorial Dr/Wesley Chapel areas.
Frontline Response International is contracted by DeKalb County to assist individuals during extreme weather events. Individuals may also arrive directly at Frontline HQ beginning at noon on Saturday or starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday for placement assistance.
Further information about these services can be found at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/weather.
Enrollment data shows that DeKalb County schools experienced a decline of about two percent in student numbers during the last academic year compared to the previous year https://www.gadoe.org/. Total enrollment was just over ninety-eight thousand students in the same period https://www.gadoe.org/. White students made up fourteen percent of the county’s school population https://www.gadoe.org/.
For transportation coordination or more details about warming center access, residents are encouraged to contact Frontline Response Dispatch or visit their headquarters.
