Inclement Weather

Winter Storm Preparedness Guide: The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) teamed up with the National Weather Service (NWS) and American Red Cross to develop the Winter Storm Preparedness Guide and provide winter weather safety tips. IEMA and NWS also recommend stocking up on emergency preparedness kits for homes and vehicles with items ranging from batteries to non-perishable foods. Visit www.ready.illinois.gov for more information on emergency preparedness.

Parking Restrictions: The city’s overnight winter parking ban went into effect on December 1. On streets affected by the ban, parking is restricted between 3:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. until April 1, 2012 and is in effect whether or not there is snow on the ground. A map of the overnight parking ban can be found here. In the 12th District, Cannon Drive south of Diversey is affected by this ban, but many of our main roads are only affected by the 2″ snow ban. A map of the 2″ snow ban can be found here.

City Warming Centers: City warming centers operate between December 1 and March 1 or when temperatures are below 32 degrees. Hours are generally 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Additional locations and extended hours may be announced when needed. The city warming center closest to the 12th district is located at 4740 North Sheridan. As always, you can call 311 to locate additional warming centers or to request a well-being check for a friend, family member or neighbor.

City of Chicago Weather Relief: Sign up for alerts through the Extreme Weather Notification System and you will be notified when dangerous weather conditions exist. Sign up online.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP): LIHEAP helps low income households with home energy costs. For more information or to learn how to apply, visit the US Department of Health and Human Services website or the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity website. To apply for assistance,  12th District residents should call CEDA at (800) 571-2332.

“Share the Warmth”: Share the Warmth is administered by the Community and Economic Development Association and helps low-income natural gas customers by providing matching grants for heating bills. More information can be found here.