How to stay cool in Chicago area amid heat wave, and heat sickness symptoms to know
Heat stroke, heat exhaustion risk rises alongside the heat index
CHICAGO (WLS) -- As rising temperatures coincide with the beginning of summer, heat advisories are likely on the horizon.
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The best way to avoid heat related illness and stay safe during the heat wave is to stay indoors and use fans and air conditioning to keep your home cool, limit your time outdoors, stay out of the sun, and drinks lots of water and fluids to remain hydrated. Also check on your relatives and neighbors, especially if they are elderly.
But if you can't stay inside or your home is not sufficiently cooled, there are resources around Chicago to help.
See our latest Chicago weather forecast
Chicago cooling centers
The City of Chicago has cooling centers at the city's six community service centers. They are open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the following locations:
- Englewood Center: 1140 West 79th Street
- Garfield Center: 10 South Kedzie Avenue (24 hours)
- King Center: 4314 South Cottage Grove Avenue
- North Area Center: 845 West Wilson Avenue
- South Chicago Center: 8650 South Commercial Avenue
- Trina Davila Center: 4312 West North Avenue
Cooling center visitors will be required to wear face coverings while indoors. The city will provide face coverings to those who do not have one.
Chicago Public Libraries and Chicago Park District fieldhouses are also available to cool down in during their hours of operation.
The Salvation Army also provides resources to those in need. To find your local Salvation Army Community Center, go to SalArmyChicago.org and enter your zip code.
READ MORE: Chicago swimming pools, splash pads and other water activities to keep you cool amid heat wave
Suburban cooling centers
Cooling centers in the suburbs can be found at the following links:
Well-being checks
Older adults, young children and Chicagoans with special needs are more vulnerable to heat related illness or other issues during extreme heat. Checking in on neighbors and relatives during excessive heat is recommended.
If you are unable to make contact with neighbors or relatives, you can request a well-being check from the city by calling 311 or going to 311.chicago.gov.
Chicago water playgrounds, splash pads, and public pools
Water playgrounds, splash pads and public pools are available throughout the city of Chicago and are free to use.
Dozens of Chicago Park District parks offer water spray features and splash pads, which open Monday, June 17. Click here to find the water spray features and splash pad closest to you.
Public pools in Washington Park, Humboldt Park and Portage Park are open through Labor Day, along with the city's 22 beaches:
Humboldt Park Pool
958 N. Sacramento Avenue
312-746-5281
Click here for schedule starting June 17.
Portage Pool
4100 N. Long Avenue
773-685-4987
Click here for schedule starting June 17.
Washington Pool
5531 S. King Drive
773-288-0619
Click here for schedule starting June 17.
There are more than a dozen water playgrounds throughout city in parks as well. Click here to find the water playground closest to you.
Heat sickness symptoms: How to recognize heat stroke, exhaustion and more
It is especially important to remain cool and hydrated when temperatures soar, or else you may develop a potentially deadly heat related illness.
Heat rash is skin irritation caused by excessive sweating when it's hot out. If you develop heat rash, keep the rash area dry and use powder to help with comfort. Do not use ointments or creams.
Heat exhaustion is a milder form of heat related illness and is a response to an excessive loss of water and salt, usually due to excessive sweating, according to the CDC. The elderly, people with high blood pressure and people working in a hot environment are more prone to heat exhaustion.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, nausea, dizziness, irritability, weakness, thirst, heavy sweating, decreased urine output and elevated body temperature.
To treat heat exhaustion, get out of the hot area, remove unnecessary clothing including shoes and socks, use cold water on the head, face and neck or cold compresses in the same areas to start lowering body temperature, and take frequent sips of cool water. People suffering from heat exhaustion may need to be taken to an emergency room or urgent care center for further treatment.
Heat stroke the most serious heat related illness, according to the CDC, and occurs when the body can no longer control its own temperature. Body temperature rises rapidly, the sweating response fails and the body becomes unable to cool down. As a result, your internal temperature can climb to 106 degrees or higher within 10 to 15 minutes.
Heat stroke can cause permanent disability or death if emergency treatment is not provided.
Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, altered mental state, slurred speech, loss of consciousness or coma, hot, dry skin or profuse sweating, seizures, and very high body temperature. It can be fatal if treatment is delayed.
If someone is experiencing heat stroke, call 911 immediately and stay with that person until EMTs arrive. Move the person to a shaded, cool area and remove outer clothing. Also take steps to cool the person down with a cold water or ice bath if possible. You can also lay cold, wet cloth on any exposed skin, soak their clothing with cool water and generally keep them wet with cool water. Use fans to circulate air around the person to speed cooling, and place cold wet clothes or ice on the head, neck, armpits or groin to help lower body temperature.
