Oak Lawn Braces For Arctic Blast: What You Need To Know

OAK LAWN, IL -- A dangerous and life-threatening arctic air blast is expected to arrive this week delivering some of coldest weather in recent memory. The National Weather Service has issued a windchill warning in effect from 6 p.m. Jan. 29 to noon Jan. 30. Temperatures are expected to plummet to -13, with wind chills as low as -55. The dangerous cold can cause frostbite and hypothermia within four minutes.

The good news is that by Super Bowl Sunday, it’s going to feel downright balmy with temps predicted in the 40s. Break out the shorts. Meanwhile, here’s some helpful info on Oak Lawn’s preparations to keep residents safe and the village running smoothly during the polar vortex.

• The Oak Lawn Park District has announced weather cancellations closings. Park district facilities will remain open on Tuesday, Jan. 29, with evening classes canceled at the Community Pavilion and Oak View Center; the Community Pavilion will remain open in the evening for adult leagues and working out. Oak View Center and the Racquet, Tennis and Gymnastics Center will close at 4 p.m. Ice Arena classes will run until 6 p.m. All park district programs are canceled and facilities will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 31.
• Oak Lawn’s public and parochial schools are anticipated to announce closings for Wednesday, Jan. 30, late Tuesday morning. Check Patch for updates.
• Republic Services, the village’s waste collector, has canceled garbage pickup on Wednesday, Jan. 30, due to the extreme cold. Wednesday’s normally scheduled pickup will now take place on Thursday; Thursday’s pickup will take place on Friday.
• The Oak Lawn Public Library will close at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 and reopen at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31. “These closures are not the norm for our library, but the bitter cold and harsh winds headed our way are also not the norm.”
• Oak Lawn Public Works crews are still out there plowing the neighborhoods to get side streets and culdesacs cleared and properly salted before the polar vortex arrives.
• Oak Lawn Village Hall, 9446 S. Raymond Ave., will remain open 24/7 as a warming center for the duration of the cold snap. If a person needs to keep warm, and he or she is ambulatory, put them in a car and bring them to the back of village hall.
• The Senior Center box lunch program has been canceled for Thursday, Jan. 31. Senior Bus Services will be altered as well during the Wednesday forecasted weather event.
• Call 911 if you’re in distress or to request a well-being check for a family member or neighbor. You’re not bothering the police or fire department.
• BEDS Plus is the designated overnight shelter provider serving homeless people in Worth Township, which includes Oak Lawn. BEDS Plus will be running buses to its day-support center at St. Mark Evangelical Lutheran Church, Heaney Hall, 11005 South 76th Ave., Worth; 708-354-0858. If you know of someone living outside or without heat, call BEDS Plus' 24/7 emergency number at 708-354-0858. Call 911 immediately if you see someone outside in danger of cold exposure.
• The village is asking residents to clear catch basis of snow when temperatures warm up to prevent and/or minimize street flooding.
• Report a power outage to ComEd from your smartphone, tablet or computer online. Or, call 1-800-334-7661. Check the status of restoration on the ComEd outage map.
• Do not use open gas flames from your stove or oven to heat up your house. Be mindful of space heaters.
• Don’t leave children or pets alone inside your cold car.
• Keep pets indoors. Take your dog out long enough to do his/her business and bring them back inside. Now is also the time to insulate your secret feral cat community.
• Check on elderly and/or disabled neighbors. See if they need something at the store Tuesday before the wicked cold weather arrives.
• Keep gas tanks full in vehicles.
• Run water at a trickle in faucets and open cabinets under sinks to keep pipes from freezing. You may also want to run the dishwasher before bedtime to keep water flowing.

~ Image via Shutterstock