Hot Weather Safety Tips For Older Adults

Please check out these tips for staying cool in Chicago for the next few days and don't forget to call 311 for a wellness check if there is a senior in your building or neighborhood that you are worried about!The National Weather Service in Chicago expects the hot and humid temperatures to remain in Chicago until Sunday. During this time, high temperatures are expected to remain in the 80s and 90s, including at night. Heat Indices of around 105 degrees are possible each day through Sunday, and an Excessive Heat Warning will be in effect from Wednesday morning through early Friday morning. The Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) wants to remind everyone to be aware of extreme temperatures and to take the necessary precautions to avoid heat-related emergencies.Everyone is reminded to take the following steps to minimize the impact of hot weather:* Drink plenty of water, at least eight glasses a day.* Avoid going out in the heat during the hottest part of the day.* Prepare for hot weather, especially if participating in or attending outdoor activities.* Public buildings such as Libraries, Park District facilities and Chicago police district headquarters can be used as temporary cooling centers. Call 3-1-1 to receive the address of the nearest temporary cooling center.* Check on the well being of neighbors and relatives who may be susceptible to hot weather conditions. Call 3-1-1 to request a well being check or a ride to a cooling center.* Open fire hydrants are a public safety issue because it drops water pressure in the area and prevents firefighters from being able to use them to fight a fire. The water stream from an open hydrant also creates a potentially hazardous situation for small children, especially when cars are present.* Com Ed has additional crews on stand by to quickly respond to power outages. Customers should call 1-800-EDISON-1 to report outages immediately.The City will continue to work closely with the National Weather Service to monitor local conditions. The City's Emergency Operations Center has not been activated at this point, but we are ready to do so if necessary. For more information, or to sign up for extreme weather alerts, please visit www.AlertChicago.com or view the OEMC's Facebook Page.