CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - With extreme and potentially dangerous heat expected this week, the city and suburbs will be providing opportunities to stay cool.
The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) have activated several community centers and senior centers as cooling centers. Today community service centers will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The once exception however will be the Garfield Center on the West Side. It will be open for 24 hours. Visitors will need to wear a face covering while in all the centers. The Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) will give free face coverings for those who do not have one.
Here are the Chicago community centers that will be activated as cooling centers:
**Centers open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.**
- Englewood Center – 1140 W. 79th Street
- Garfield Center – 10 S. Kedzie Ave.
- King Center – 4314 S. Cottage Grove
- North Area Center – 845 W. Wilson Ave.
- South Chicago Center – 8650 S. Commercial Ave.
- Trina Davila Center – 4312 W. North Ave.
Here are the Chicago senior centers that will be activated as cooling centers:
**Centers open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m.**
- Central West Center - 2102 W. Ogden Ave.
- Northeast Senior Center - 2019 W. Lawrence Ave.
- Southeast Senior Center - 1767 E. 79th St.
- Northwest Senior Center - 3160 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Southwest Center - 6117 S. Kedzie Ave.
- Renaissance Court - 78 E. Washington Street (10 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
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Here are satellite senior centers that will be activated as cooling centers:
**Centers open at 8:30 a.m. and close at 4:30 p.m.**
-Pilsen - 2121 South Morgan
-West Town - 1615 West Chicago Ave.
-North Center - 4040 North Oakley
-Norwood Park - 5801 North Natoma
-Portage Park - 4100 North Long
-Abbott Park - 49 East 95th St.
-Chatham Park - 8300 South Cottage Grove
-Roseland - 10426 South Michigan
-Garfield Ridge - 5674-B South Archer
-Kelvyn Park - 2715 North Cicero
-Auburn Gresham - 1040 West 79th St.
-Englewood - 653-657 West
-63rd St. Austin – 5071 West Congress Parkway
-Edgewater – 5917 North Broadway
-South Chicago – 9233 South Burley
**CLICK HERE AND VIEW MAP BELOW, PROVIDING LOCATIONS OF ALL CHICAGO COOLING CENTERS
**Residents can also receive relief at the City’s Park District field houses and splash pads.**
The mayor's office said Chicago Public Schools will monitor its over 800 facilities and campuses and will track temperatures inside school buildings throughout the day.
Illinois motorists who become stranded can also receive assistance. The Illinois Tollway will operate a 24-hour Hot Weather Patrol on the Reagan, Veterans Memorial, Jane Adams, Tri-State, and Route 390 Tollways, searching for drivers of disabled vehicles.
In addition to their 29 suburban cooling centers, Cook County has made available Skokie, Maywood and Bridgeview Courthouses as places where residents can receive relief from the heat. The courthouses will act as cooling centers beginning Wednesday and remain that way until Friday. Operating hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The City of Evanston announced that the Robert Crown Community Center (operating from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Evanston Public Library (operating from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Fleetwood Jourdain Community Center (operating from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Levy Senior Center (operating from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.) will be open to the public as cooling centers.
Other area counties will also have cooling centers available. In Kane County, Aurora public libraries will act as cooling centers. DuPage, Will and Lake Counties will also offer numerous safe, air conditioned places.
An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect until 8 p.m. for Illinois Counties such as Cook, DuPage, Lake, Kane, Will, De Kalb, Kendall, Grundy, and Kankakee. The National Weather Service says peak afternoon heat indices are expected to be between 110 and 115 degrees. Those working outdoors or participating in outdoor activities are at great risk for heat related illnesses.
This heat wave should be brief. The NWS anticipates a cold front to come through tonight. Temperatures will fall into the 80s and humidity will gradually lessen.
The City of Chicago warns residents to be mindful of heat-related illnesses- such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
Here are symptoms of heatstroke:
- An extremely high body temperature, such as 103 degrees or above
- Dizziness and nausea
- A throbbing headache and a pulse that is rapid and strong
- Skin that is red, hot and dry
The Chicago Department of Buildings (DOB) urges property owners and building managers to keep their residents safe and cool. When the temperature exceeds 80 degrees, high-rises, buildings with more than 100 units and senior housing centers, by law, must provide air conditioning to all apartments or in a common area, the DOB says.
OEMC stresses that residents call 3-1–1 if they are feeling uncomfortable or are in need of assistance and to check on the most vulnerable.
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