Entire Chicago area upgraded to Extreme Heat Warning as Midwest swelters under heat dome

All of the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana have been upgraded to an Extreme Heat Warning through Thursday amid a Midwestern heat wave.

Cook County and Chicago were placed under the Extreme Heat Warning starting at 12 p.m. Monday, with the rest of the area under a Heat Advisory, but as of Tuesday morning all areas had been upgraded to an Extreme Heat Warning and the period of the alert has been extended.

An Extreme Heat Warning is in effect for Cook, Boone, DuPage, Will, DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, La Salle, Lake, Kendall, Kankakee, McHenry and Winnebago counties in Illinois and Lake, Newtown, Jasper, Benton and Porter counties in northwest Indiana until midnight Friday.

The heat is putting stress on the area's power grid, as several hundred people woke up without power Tuesday morning. ComEd crews were out working to get the power – and air conditioning – restored, and said they expected they'd run into some issues and so they prepared for the severe weather ahead o time.

"We've enhanced our staffing around the clock," said Valerie Coletti, senior vice president of ComEd distribution. "We've staged equipment around our service territory as well."

To keep your home cool efficiently and effectively, ComEd recommends ensuring the area around your vent is clear, check that your fan is running counterclockwise, and turn your thermostat up seven to 10 degrees if you're gone for the day.

Because the humidity is pushing the head index higher, it can be easier to become dehydrated. The Chicago Department of Public Health said 468 people visited emergency rooms last summer because of heat-related illnesses.

Seniors can be among the most vulnerable populations to heat, so My Block My Hood My City is collecting fans, bottles of water and donations Tuesday before dispatching volunteers to the homes of elderly residents Wednesday morning starting at 10 a.m.

"It seems like just hot weather, but that could turn dangerous real fast if we don't have no AC, and we can't get out to the place, so we put out a call called, you know, check on your people, especially your elders," said Jahmal Cole, founder of My Block My Hood My City. "As of this morning, we had over 750 elders reach out from all over Chicago."

If you'd like to help deliver these supplies, register on the My Block My Hood My City website. 

Find a cooling center in Chicago or Cook County

City officials said when temperatures climb into the 90s, cooling centers open, and other heat response efforts begin to ramp up to help protect vulnerable residents.

Cooling centers will be available throughout the week at community service centers, libraries, Chicago Park District fieldhouses, City College of Chicago facilities, and police stations during their hours of operation.

Six cooling centers across Chicago will be available, including:

• Auburn Gresham Center – 1140 W. 79th St.
• Garfield Center – 10 S. Kedzie Ave. 
• King Center – 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
• North Area Center – 845 W. Wilson Ave.  
• South Chicago Center – 8650 S. Commercial Ave.  
• Trina Davila Center – 4312 W. North Ave.  

Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications also maintains a map of all cooling centers and public facilities in the city that can be used during a heat wave if you don't have reliable air conditioning. The map is interactive and lists all facilities, their locations and their hours.

Chicago Park District, Chicago Public Library, City Colleges of Chicago and Chicago Police District locations are also available to the public to cool down during the heat wave, during their hours of operation. 

Cook County has dozens of cooing centers that are open and available during the summer, and also often extends their hours heat events.

Two locations are open 24 hours a day at all times: the Evanston cooing center at 1703 Orrington Avenue and the Hazel Crest Department of Fire and Rescue at 3000 W. 170th Place. 

Several other cooling centers are open 24/7 during heat waves:

• Orland Park Police Department at 15100 S. Ravinia Avenue
• Bettenhausen Rec Center in Tinley Park at 8125 W. 171st Street
• Tinley Park Police Department at 7850 W. 183rd Street
• Tinley Park Public Safety Building at 17355 S. 68th Court

Chicago's public swimming pools are also open for the season and can be used to cool down during the heat wave, but remember to stay hydrated and know that the hottest part of the day is still dangerous even if you're in water.

People experiencing homelessness can and should contact the city for help finding shelter during the heat wave.

Anyone seeking shelter may contact 311 to request shelter placement, OEMC said.

• The Shelter Placement and Resource Center (SPARC) – 2241 S. Halsted St.
• Provides shelter placement assistance and overflow beds for single adults.
• Not a cooling center or shelter—call ahead to ensure availability: (773) 825-3956
• The Salvation Army Emergency Assessment and Resource Center (EHARC) – 924 N. Christiana Ave.
• Provides shelter placement assistance and overflow beds for families with children under 18 years of age.
• Not a cooling center or shelter—call ahead to ensure availability: (872) 281-7610
• DFSS-funded shelters
• Most operate 24/7 year-round.
• DFSS typically activates all overnight shelters to operate 24/7 throughout extreme weather conditions.
• DFSS funds delegate agencies for expanded operations.

DFSS Homeless Outreach and Prevention (HOP) teams and street outreach partners will be out working to help unhoused Chicagoans as well, offering transportation to cooling centers, distributing essentials like water and hygiene supplies and providing food gift cards, bus cards and informational resources.     

Know the symptoms of heat exhaustion vs. heat stroke and what to do

The greatest health risks during a heat wave are heat exhaustion and heatstroke.

It is easy to become overheated and dehydrated during excessively hot weather; it is essential you drink water and drinks with electrolytes to stayed hydrated and stay safe during heat waves.

Heat exhaustion is milder than heat stroke, and can develop over days instead of minutes or hours. Heat exhaustion symptoms include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, high body temperature and decreased urine output. 

To treat heat exhaustion, move into a cool indoor space or shade immediately, drink liquids, remove unnecessary clothing including socks and shoes, use cold water or a cold compress on the head, face and neck to cool down, and frequently sip cold water. The CDC also encourages calling 911 or taking the person to an urgent care clinic or the emergency room for treatment.

Symptoms of heatstroke include confusion, altered mental status, slurred speech, hot and dry skin or profuse sweating, very high body temperature, loss of consciousness, and very high body temperature. If treatment is delayed, it can quickly become fatal, the CDC warns.

If you are with someone experiencing heatstroke, call 911 immediately and stay with that person until paramedics arrive. Move the person into a shaded, cool area, remove their outer clothing and work to cool them down as quickly as possible, preferably with cold water or an ice bath. You can also get the skin wet, place cold, wet cloths on the skin or soak their clothing with cold water. You should also fan them to get air circulating around them which will help water and sweat evaporate and also help cool them down.

If you can, place cold, wet cloths or ice on their head, neck, in their armpits and on their groin to help cool them down faster.