PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — People throughout the region are getting ready for the cold weather and storm, from local warming shelters to plumbing companies.

At Crossroads Rhode Island, CEO John MacDonald has a very simple message he wants to get across to everyone: if you need a place to stay, there is space available.

"This is extreme weather we're going to be dealing with, and we want people to come inside as quickly as possible," MacDonald said. "We can get folks inside here at our warming center, or get them transportation to a shelter where they would have access to a bed, showers, things like that."

Meals are being prepared for people who need to stay, and many of the staff members live nearby and plan to be on hand for whatever's needed once the snow begins to fall.

It's a last resort option when it comes to shelter, but MacDonald anticipates plenty of people will need it.

"Crossroads' warming center you can think of as the overflow of the overflow, so once shelters are full, and that will be the case this weekend I'm sure, then our warming center is what's available," MacDonald said. "We have a place for people to come in, they can lie down."

The incoming cold will also pose problems for plumbing.

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Over at Barrington Plumbing and Heating, James Kazounis and his staff will be ready to help with any burst pipes, and they're expecting quite a mess for some homeowners.

"Most importantly for safety, everybody should know where the water main shut off is, that'll usually be in the basement closer to wherever the street side of the house is," Kazounis said.

Kazounis added that kindness goes a long way in situations like this cold stretch and incoming storm, and urges people to check in on elderly neighbors as well.

If you're waiting for a plumber, he said patience is also key.

"That's what we're going to try to practice here just so we can get to everybody as best we can," Kazounis said. "Sometimes it's triage, right? Who's got water leaking through the ceiling? Who has no heat in the whole house, or only one room? It's kind of like that, we try to get to everybody as best we can."