Emergency Services Staff are available 24 hours a day to transport residents to shelter

As single digit temperatures move into the Chicagoland area, the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services reminds residents to take precautions during the cold weather.

“Chicago is experiencing the coldest temperatures of the winter, and it’s important that residents in need to take advantage of our services to stay safe,” said Evelyn Diaz, commissioner, Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. “Our staff is working around the clock to help residents cope with the elements.”

The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services ensures that everyone has easy access to a safe, warm facility. Residents in need of shelter from the cold weather can visit any of the City’s six Warming Centers, including the 24-hour facility located at 10 South Kedzie Avenue. Warming Centers are open when temperatures fall below 32 degrees, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Over the weekend, libraries, park facilities and police stations also serve as warming centers.

The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services also reminds residents that Emergency Services staff are available to assist residents in crisis 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Teams can assist residents by connecting them to shelter and other supportive services. Approximately 4,000 beds are available in 60 shelters across the city.

Twenty-four hour transportation to shelter is available by calling the City’s non-emergency help line, 311.

As always, Chicagoans are urged to check in on family members, friends and neighbors, especially the elderly and those in poor health. Residents unable to make contact with an individual can call 311 to request a well-being check. The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services will send an outreach team to their home and arrange for any assistance that is required.

For more information about the City of Chicago’s cold weather resources, or to request a well-being check or assistance with shelter, please call 311.

EveryBlock is a virtual cornucopia of ranging opinion and statistic, capturing as only interactive media can do, the shifting concerns and attentions of the local populace throughout the day.

In truth some days facing the summarized crime statistics for your local ‘hood can be a sobering, even brutal revelation delivered to your virtual doorstep. Then again forewarned is forearmed, as the oldtimer wisdom has it. EveryBlock serves up GPS-coordinated localized information — generally useful if you’re looking to buy or sell or move or even walk around the place you live.

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Our code monkeys would like to take this opportunity to send some in-particular gratitude out to EveryBlock’s Kyle Hillman for his nice shout out to AldermanOConnor.com. We’d noticed a sudden fever for our Newsletter and now realize we have you, in part, to thank for that as well. Muchas Gracias, Señor!

Although winter comes as no surprise, many of us are not ready for its arrival. If you are prepared for the hazards of winter, you will be more likely to stay safe and healthy when temperatures start to fall.

Many people prefer to remain indoors in the winter, but staying inside is no guarantee of safety. Take these steps to keep your home safe and warm during the winter months.

• Winterize your home.
• Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.
• Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.
• Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks.
• Check your heating systems.
• Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly and ventilated to the outside.
• Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys.
• Install a smoke detector. Test batteries monthly.
• Have a safe alternate heating source and alternate fuels available.
• Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) emergencies.
• Install a CO detector to alert you of the presence of the deadly, odorless, colorless gas.
• Learn symptoms of CO poisoning: headaches, nausea, and disorientation.
• Keep grills and generators out of the house and garage. Position generators at least 20 feet from the house.
• Be prepared for weather-related emergencies, including power outages.
• Stock food that needs no cooking or refrigeration and water stored in clean containers.
• Keep an up-to-date emergency kit, including:
• battery-operated devices, such as a flashlight, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio, and lamps;
• extra batteries;
• first-aid kit and extra medicine;
• baby items; and
• cat litter or sand for icy walkways.

Many people spend time outdoors in the winter working, traveling, or enjoying winter sports. Outdoor activities can expose you to several safety hazards, but you can take these steps to prepare for them:

• Wear appropriate outdoor clothing: layers of light, warm clothing; mittens; hats; scarves; and waterproof boots.
• Sprinkle cat litter or sand on icy patches.
• Learn safety precautions to follow when outdoors.
• Be aware of the wind chill factor.
• Work slowly when doing outside chores.
• Take a buddy and an emergency kit when you are participating in outdoor recreation.
• Avoid traveling when the weather service has issued advisories.
• If you must travel, inform a friend or relative of your proposed route and expected time of arrival.
• Carry a cell phone.
• Prepare your car for winter.
• Service the radiator and maintain antifreeze level; check tire tread or, if necessary, replace tires with all-weather or snow tires
• Keep gas tank full to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines.
• Use a wintertime formula in your windshield washer.
• Keep a winter emergency kit in your car in case you become stranded. Include
• blankets;
• food and water;
• booster cables, flares, tire pump, and a bag of sand or cat litter (for traction);
• compass and maps;
• flashlight, battery-powered radio, and extra batteries;
• first-aid kit; and
• plastic bags (for sanitation).
• Learn safety rules to follow in case you become stranded in your car.
• Stay with your car unless safety is no more than 100 yards away, but continue to move arms and legs.
• Stay visible by putting bright cloth on the antenna, turning on the inside overhead light (when engine is running), and raising the hood when snow stops falling.
• Run the engine and heater only 10 minutes every hour.
• Keep a downwind window open.
• Make sure the tailpipe is not blocked.

Above all, be prepared to check on family and neighbors who are especially at risk from cold weather hazards: young children, older adults, and the chronically ill. If you have pets, bring them inside. If you cannot bring them inside, provide adequate, warm shelter and unfrozen water to drink.

No one can stop the onset of winter. However, if you follow these suggestions, you will be ready for it when it comes.

Learn more…

You may take your pharmaceuticals to one of the five designated drop off locations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Look for the blue box in the lobby.

Pharmaceuticals that are thrown out in the garbage or flushed down the toilet end up in our water ways and water supply, posing a risk to both human and ecological health. We encourage residents to visit a drop off location and keep pharmaceuticals in responsible hands and out of our water supply.

Where to drop off medications:

• Area 1: 5101 S. Wentworth Ave.
• Area 2: 727 E. 111th St.
• Area 3: 2452 W. Belmont Ave.
• Area 4: 3151 W. Harrison St.
• Area 5: 5555 W. Grand Ave.

These locations are not able to accept the following:

• Syringes
• Needles
• Medical waste
• Medical equipment

Pharmaceuticals (non-controlled substances) can also be brought to the city’s Household Chemicals & Computer Recycling Facility at 1150 N. North Branch St.

The program is funded in part by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. For more information, call the Department of Environment at 312.744.7672.

Share or post a flyer with pharmaceutical disposal information.

Clearing snow from your driveway and sidewalks can be physically challenging and dangerous work, so you need to take proper health and safety precautions, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

In 2007, more than 118,000 people were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, clinics and other medical facilities for injuries suffered while shoveling or doing other types of snow and ice removal, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. That same year, there were 15,000 snow blower-related injuries, triple the number in 2006.

“People tend to think of snow removal as just another household task, but it really involves a lot of bending and heavy lifting, particularly in wet snow,” AAOS spokesman Dr. Robert Dunbar said in an academy news release. “It may be especially dangerous for people who do not regularly exercise, as their bodies, specifically back, shoulder and arm muscles, may not be prepared for that level of activity.”

The AAOS offered advice on how to prevent injuries while shoveling or using a snow blower

• Get your doctor’s opinion about whether you should be shoveling snow. If you have a medical condition or don’t exercise regularly, consider hiring someone to remove snow.
• Wear light, layered, water-repellent clothing that provides both ventilation and insulation. It’s also important to wear appropriate head coverings, as well as gloves/mittens and thick, warm socks. If you start getting too hot or cold, take a break.
• Be sure you can see what you’re doing. Don’t wear hats or scarves that block your vision. Watch for uneven surfaces and ice patches. Wear boots with slip-resistant soles.
• Clear snow early and often so that it doesn’t build up into packed, heavy snow.
• Before shoveling, warm up your muscles with light exercise for 10 minutes. Be sure to include your leg muscles.
• Take frequent breaks and drink water to prevent dehydration.
• If you experience chest pains, shortness of breath or other signs of a heart attack, seek emergency medical care.
• Use a shovel that’s comfortable for your height and strength. Don’t use a shovel that’s too heavy or too long for you. Push snow instead of lifting it, as much as you can. If you must lift snow, take small amounts at a time and lift with your legs. Don’t throw snow over your shoulder or to the side. This requires a twisting motion that stresses your back.
• When using a snow blower, never stick your hands or feet in the machine. If snow becomes too compacted, stop the engine and wait at least five seconds. Use a solid object to clear snow or debris from the chute.
• Don’t leave a snow blower unattended when it’s running. If you have to leave the machine, shut off the engine.
• If you’re using an electric snow blower, always keep on eye on the cord so you don’t trip and fall.

Winter may be the coldest season and the busiest season as residents prepare for holiday cooking and shopping. It’s also the season when Peoples Gas receives the highest number of carbon monoxide-related calls.

To help customers stay safe while using natural gas this winter, Peoples Gas has the following vital safety tips. The utility encourages everyone to help get the word out by passing them on.

• Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas and that can cause sickness and in some cases, death. Every year, especially during the winter months, we hear about residents becoming ill due to the possibility of breathing carbon monoxide fumes, or even dying from the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Carbon monoxide can come from inadequately burned fuel and improperly vented appliances, such as water heaters, furnaces, space heaters, boilers, ranges/stoves, clothes dryers, grills, fireplaces and portable generators.

It’s extremely important that residents have a working carbon monoxide (CO) detector as required by Illinois law in their homes and apartments. The presence of carbon monoxide detectors can save lives. Carbon monoxide detectors should be installed within 15 feet of sleeping areas. Batteries should be changed every six months to ensure they are working.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include:

• Sudden flu-like illness
• Dizziness, headaches, sleepiness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fluttering or throbbing heartbeat
• Cherry-red lips, unusually pale complexion
• Unconsciousness

If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, you should leave the premises immediately, get to a safe location and call 911 first, then the Peoples Gas emergency number at 1-866-556-6002. If your CO detector should sound an alert, and you are not experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning you should leave the premises immediately and contact your HVAC professional. For more information on CO safety, please visit the company’s website: www.peoplesgasdelivery.com.

• Residents should have their appliances inspected and/or repaired by a licensed or certified technician. Having an unqualified person connect, inspect or work on your appliances presents a safety hazard that not only puts your household at risk, but can pose a danger to your neighbors.
• Whenever natural gas service has been disconnected, there are certain steps that must be taken before service may be restored. It is the customer’s responsibility to make proper arrangements with his or her natural gas company for service reconnection. Recognize that tampering with natural gas services, meters or any other utility equipment can create a serious safety hazard and is illegal. Tampering with natural gas facilities can cause leaks and endanger not only those who tamper with the utility facilities, but also their neighbors and the community as well.

If you should come across any suspicious activity, including tampering, illegal hook-ups and/or the unauthorized moving of meters and service pipes, please call the Peoples Gas emergency number at 1-866-556-6002.

1. Check store policies before purchasing
2. Keep your receipts
3. Be aware of restocking fees
4. Be aware of new gift card policies
5. Be diligent when shopping online
6. Don’t get hooked by an email or text message scam
7. Scrutinize your credit card statements
8. Hold on to your handbag
9. Check for recalled children’s products
10. Take caution when donating to a charity

Consumers should call 311 to file complaints.

Detective Division – Area Five: Community Alert
16th and 17th Districts (Jefferson Park and Albany Park)

About This Crime

In three separate instances, unknown offenders have knocked on the doors of residences and when met by the homeowners, stated they were police officers or undercover police officers. In all of the occurrences, the offenders were in possession of police paraphernalia (i.e., gold badges, radios). On two occasions, the offenders gained access to homes but later fled the scene in a large dark red SUV or a navy blue Town & Country van.

Incident locations and times:

• 4000 block of N. Harding on October 29, 2011 at approximately 6:00 pm.
• 4900 block of N. Karlov on October 30, 2011 at approximately 5:04 pm.
• 5000 block of W. Gunnison on October 30 at approximately 5:15 pm.

About The Offenders

The offenders are male Whites and/or Hispanics, 18-36 years of age, 5’07 – 6’03 tall, and 140 to 230 lbs. They were wearing baseball caps, zippered gray sweatshirts or black hooded sweatshirts.

What You Can Do

• Be aware of this situation and alert neighbors in the area about the crime.
• Call 911 to report any suspicious person(s), vehicle(s) or activity in your neighborhood.
• Call 911 and provide a detailed description of the offender(s) including the vehicle description and license plate information.

If you have any information about this incident, please call the Area 5 Detective Division at (312) 746-8282. Reference RD# HT567053, HT567063, HT565739

Alert #650-11-030
November 1, 2011

Chicago Police Department
Office of News Affairs
Telephone: (312) 745-6110
Fax: (312) 745-6999

2011 Consumer Recalls

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2009 Consumer Recalls