Winter Weather Safety

DRIVE SAFELY: The tragic multi-traffic accident yesterday in I-94 in Northwest Indiana demonstrates how fast and unpredictable severe weather can create havoc on the roads. More snow and cold temperatures are in the forecast this weekend. If you plan to travel, please use these safety tips when driving on the highway.

10 COLD WEATHER TIPS: Know symptoms of hypothermia, remember to limit the time of pets being outdoors, and let faucets drip. These are some of things to help you stay safe during this extreme cold weather. Here's a few more.

Home Fire Response

Home fire season is underway and our volunteers have ramped up response. We see a rise in home fires during the colder months as people turn to alternative heat sources to warm their homes. Since Jan. 1 the Red Cross helped 134 families affected by 112 home fires. Simple steps can be taken to prevent home fires. Here's how.

The Red Cross provides disaster relief up to 72 hours after local disasters like home fires. Our caseworkers can help answer questions you might have to serve your constituents affected by disasters, 312-729-6179.

Flu Prevention

Flu season is here and more and more people across the country are getting sick. The American Red Cross urges people to get vaccinated now and offers tips everyone can follow to help prevent the spread of the flu. The most important step someone can take is to get a flu vaccine. The CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and older. Here's more steps to prevent the flu.  

January is National Radon Action Month and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is encouraging Chicagoans to test their home for harmful levels of radon.  Radon is a natural colorless, odorless radioactive gas and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.  The best time to test homes for radon is during cold-weather months when windows are shut and elevated levels of radon are more likely to be detected.

"Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk," said Dr. Cortland Lohff, CDPH Medical Director for Environmental Health.  "Taking action to test and fix high levels of radon gas is not only a strong investment for your health but also for your home."

Information on how to test, find a qualified radon professional or obtain a test kit is available at http://www.epa.gov/radon or by calling the Cook County Radon Hot Line at (708) 865-6177.  

You can't see, smell or taste radon, but it could be present at a dangerous level in your home.  In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 deaths from lung cancer each year.  And if you smoke and your home has a high radon level, your risk of lung cancer can increase even more.

Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils.  It can get into homes through cracks and other holes in the foundation.  Radon can then be trapped inside the home, where it can build up.

All homes with or without basements should be tested for radon.  Affordable Do-It-Yourself radon test kits are available online and at home improvement and hardware stores, or you can hire a qualified radon tester.

CDPH recommends taking action to fix radon levels at or above 4 picoCuries per Liter (pCi/L).  Addressing high radon levels often costs the same as other minor home repairs.  In most cases, a system with a vent pipe and fan is used to reduce radon.

Radon test results are a positive selling point for those putting a house on the market and in many areas is a required part of real estate transactions. In addition, if you are looking to build a new home, there are now safer and healthier radon-resistant construction techniques that home buyers can discuss with builders to prevent this health hazard.

Improving the health and well-being of all Chicagoans by creating safer and healthier homes is a priority in CDPH's citywide health agenda, Healthy Chicago.  Healthy Chicago sets an ambitious sense of purpose for Chicago and engages the city with bold action and goals to make Chicago the healthiest city in the nation.  Visit www.CityofChicago.org/HEALTH

Community Counseling Centers of Chicago (C4) has just been named winner of the prestigious Mental Health First Aid Community Impact Award as part of the 2014 National Council Awards of Excellence from the National Council for Behavioral Health. The award recognizes C4 for its excellence in providing Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training to individuals, organizations and communities in an effort to raise awareness and reduce the stigma regarding mental illness and substance use disorders.

As one of the largest providers of MHFA training in Illinois, C4 has trained nearly 2,500 individuals including more than 440 organizations on methods to assist people who may be in the early stages of developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis.

In 2008, C4 was selected as one of seven organizations in the country to pilot the MHFA curriculum. As a pioneer, C4 co-founded Mental Health First Aid of Illinois as a collaborative community education program. C4 offers its MHFA training both in English and Spanish, on-site and at off-site locations throughout the Chicago area. It trains professionals in areas such as healthcare, human services, law enforcement, education, and human resources. C4 is an approved provider of of Continuing Professional Development Units (CPDU) for the Illinois Board of Education staff and teachers, as well as an approved provider of Contact Hours from the Illinois Nurses Association for Nurses. It is also an approved provider of Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for social workers, counselors, family therapists and most recently has been approved to provide continuing education hours to EMTs. Read more 

For more information about C4's MHFA program, visit: www.c4chicago.org/MHFA 

Chicago Snow Corps is a program that connects volunteers with residents in need of snow removal - such as seniors and residents with disabilities.

While winter can be hazardous for everyone here in the City of Chicago, it can be especially difficult for elderly and physically disabled residents, who may not have the ability or resources to remove snow from their sidewalks and walkways. Chicago Snow Corps aims to help minimize potential heavy-snow emergencies by pairing volunteers with blocks where elderly and disabled citizens have requested help.

We will continue to collect warm items all winter; as we are told more are needed. Please clean out your closets; someone else can use your children's outgrown jackets and the coats, hats and gloves you no longer wear?  We also welcome donations of pet food, towels and blankets for those pets less fortunate than our own.

On the 3rd Friday of the month The Lincoln Square Friendship Center 2733 W. Lawrence is the home to Friendship Pet Food Pantry. Pet food is provided to folks who are having a hard time feeding their beloved pets.  

Upcoming dates are: February 21 & March 21 from 3-5pm

If you know anyone who needs assistance, please pass this along.

In their 1st three distribution dates a month's supply of food was given to:

92 cats & 38 dogs!

Save the Date:

The 47th Ward Green Council Brings Us

Home Energy Efficiency Mini-Workshop!

Learn about how you can save hundreds of dollars a year for the life of your house...and more! Tuesday, February 25 from 7-9pm Sulzer Library Auditorium   

Sulzer needs your old games.  Thanks to our neighbors who have donated games for the Sulzer's Game Night!  If you have games that your family no longer uses, please bring them to the 47th Ward Office or to Sulzer Library. Their ever-popular "Game Night" could use a few more board games like Sorry, Chess, Life, Uno, Jenga, Rummy Cube, etc.   

Check out the infrastructure map on our webpage!

The Chicago Cubs have provided some additional funding for some infrastructure improvements in the 44th 46th and 47th Wards.   In the 47th ward we will be getting new residential street lighting on: W Byron (Clark to Ashland), N Janssen (Addison to Irving Park) and N Greenview (Addison to Irving Park).

Chicago River Work (east side) Berteau to Montrose (from Riverbank Neighbors) 

Please check out this updated landscaping plan for the bank.

New to the plan:

• removal of all Ailanthus, honeysuckle and buckthorn (all invasives);
• add soil to the rip rap on the upper sections of the project area to make planting easier and recovery quicker;
• substitute for the elderberry, since we said we have a thriving e-berry community already;
• substituted a cover seed mix instead of the IDOT mix we objected to;
• four species of gray dogwood (stakes) that a vigorous colonizers for the new territories.

These will be substantial new lands, with the bank secured, and planting begun. Riverbank Neighbors will be able to enrich species diversity over time and introduce many new forbs. Habitat for birds and reptiles and amphibs and mammals will be greatly improved.

• Leland Ave Full Closure will be up until April, 2014.  
• Ravenswood from Lawrence to Leland Ave Full Closure will be up until April, 2014 on the west side of Ravenswood.
• Ravenswood (east side) between Ainslie and Winnemac some of the landscaping features will be installed before snowfall in preparation for planting in the spring.  Blockades may be in place on the street to make room for the work to be done however there is not a parking restriction when workers are not present.

For more information, visit the infrastructure section of our website or contact Bill Higgins at bill@chicago47.org or 773-549-2745.