Oak Park Area Cooling Centers Open Amid Heat Wave

OAK PARK, IL — Village of River Forest officials urge residents to please check in on your neighbors, especially seniors, as a heatwave is expected in the area this weekend. According to officials, the heat index is estimated to be over 100 degrees Saturday. As temperatures increase across the area, cooling centers are available for those in need. Local area cooling centers and available times are as follows:

• Rush Oak Park Hospital: Located at 520 S. Maple Avenue. The hospital is preparing the lobby of its former emergency room to serve as a cooling center, as other typical sites in the Village of Oak Park have been closed or unavailable due to occupancy limits during the coronavirus pandemic, the village said. Capacity at the Rush cooling center will be limited to about 15 individuals to allow for proper social distancing.

"Discussions also have included setting up tents with fans by shaded parking areas if necessary and exploring the option of asking the CTA and Pace if they could provide cooling buses," the village said in a report." Meanwhile, the Village’s Public Health messaging is focusing on urging residents to check on friends, family and neighbors who might be at greater risk from the heat. The village also is working with Housing Forward to provide water and Gatorade to homeless individuals who often congregate in specific areas of the community."

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Typically,centers are open seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at West Suburban Medical Center, Erie Street at Austin Boulevard, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rush Oak Park Hospital, 500 S. Maple Ave. Hours may be extended when weather conditions warrant, or sites may be closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, so be sure to call ahead to find out whether a site is open. To find out if the center is open after hours, call West Suburban Hospital at 708-763-6747, or Rush Oak Park Hospital at 708-660-6000.

If transportation is needed, call the Oak Park Police Department’s non-emergency number 708-386-3800.

Village Hall, 123 Madison St., also is a warming and cooling center from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, the village said.

More information and updates can be found via Oak Park's emergency preparedness plans web page. You can also visit the Village of River Forest Facebook page for local updates.

For those planning to visit a cooling center, face masks must be worn (are required) at all times.

>> Stay up to date with weather alerts and the Oak Park-River Forest Weather Forecast

Cook County's Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security offers the following tips to help keep you safe as temperatures rise:

• Drink plenty of fluids
• Try to stay in the shade or indoors as much as possible
• If working outside, take frequent breaks, preferably in an air-conditioned space
• Check on elderly neighbors and those with functional needs
• Take pets indoors and make sure they have plenty of water
• Never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle.

> List of area Cook County cooling centers

More information: Illinois Department of Human Services hot line at 800-843-6154 during normal business hours.

Have details of a local cooling center? Email rebecca.bream@patch.com. Patch will update this list as more details are available.