Chicago leaders say they're ready to help during heat wave

CHICAGO'S WEST SIDE (WBBM Newsradio) -- Forecasts for as much as a week of potentially dangerous heat are triggering the city of Chicago's official weather emergency plan.

"Chicago knows perhaps better than any other city the dangers of extreme weather," Mayor Brandon Johnson said during a Monday morning briefing with department heads and partner agencies at the city's Emergency Management Operations Center, 1411 W. Madison St. The mayor urged people to look in on neighbors, especially older people, as "real-feel" numbers are expected to top 100 for at least the next three days.

"Let's do what Chicagoans do best. Let's look out for one another," he added.

The National Weather Service's excessive heat warning for Cook County, including the city of Chicago, will be in effect until at least Wednesday evening, but that could be extended based on early predictions of another extremely hot day on Thursday.

Department heads including Family and Support Services commissioner Angela Green said planning for this weather event began days ago: ""Robo-calls went out on Friday to over 31,000 senior citizens offering safety tips ahead of the anticipated heat and humidity."

And Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt said her agency is stepping up its efforts to assist first responders who could be out on fire scenes in heavy suits and equipment for hours.

"We're sending additional ambulances out," the commissioner said. "We're putting up additional fire companies to help support the troops in the field. It is very difficult fighting fires in this type of heat."

Valerie Colletti from ComEd said the utility has added staffing and staged equipment around the area to make sure it's ready if the power does go out: "Extreme heat can put additional pressure on the system due to increased air conditioning use, but we're well-positioned to maintain reliability."

The city's official cooling centers include public libraries, park district fieldhouses, police stations and other facilities. More information is available by calling 3-1-1 or by visiting the agency online.