Week Ending - February 4th, 2022
Good afternoon and welcome to another edition of the weekly Forest Park e-newsletter, with the latest news, resources and events happening in and around Forest Park. In this week's edition, please find new updates from the police and fire departments, a schedule of upcoming Black History Month events, Covid-19 resources, a new Exelon Foundation STEM Academy opportunity and much more!

If you or your organization have items or events that you would like to see included in future editions of the e-newsletter, please let us know. Have a wonderful weekend. Please stay safe and warm!
Forest Park Covid Vaccination Site Info
Free KN95 masks are being distributed to visitors at the Forest Park Covid vaccination site, located at 7630 Roosevelt Road. Visitors are being given a limited number of masks while supplies last.

The last day of operations at the Forest Park Covid vaccination site will be February 13. If you or a loved one is in need of a Covid-19 shot or booster, walk-ins are being accepted.
 
Village of Forest Park Public Works -
Snow Removal/Cold Weather Tips
The snow season is upon us. Please assist the Public Works Department in its snow removal efforts by obeying the snow route signs. Every street in the village has visible snow route signs, typically on the same side as the street lights. Parking needs to take place across the street from the posted snow route signs. Snow routes are in effect up to 48 hours after the completion of a snow event of 2” or greater.
 
When the weather dips below freezing for an extended period of time and during bursts of extreme cold, please follow these tips to help you avoid frozen interior water pipes:
  • Let the water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing because the temperature of the water running through it is above freezing.
  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
  • Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
  • If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home or business set to a temperature no lower than 55ºF.
  • Shut off outside water.
Garbage and Recycling Can Information
A friendly reminder, please make sure garbage and recycling cans are easily accessible for the garbage and recycling trucks. Homeowners, landlords and tenants need to make sure cans are not buried in snow or ice. Cans that cannot be accessed will result in delayed service until they can be accessed by the garbage company.
 
Remember to store garbage and recycling cans away from the alley way. Receptacles cannot impede traffic or be located in places where they can cause issues for travelling vehicles.
 
We appreciate your help with keeping our alleys safe!

Community Notice - Forest Park Fire Department
Forest Park Fire Department - New Firefighter/Paramedic
On February 1st, the Forest Park Fire Department welcomed John Gemmel as it’s newest firefighter/paramedic. Firefighter Gemmel was sworn in by Mayor Rory Hoskins surrounded by members of the fire department and village staff. Congratulations to Firefighter Gemmel!
Pictured from left to right: Mayor Hoskins, Firefighter Gemmel, Chief Chiappetta
Mayor Hoskins swearing in Firefighter Gemmel.
Forest Park Police Department Lifesaving Awards
In November 2021, Officer Awad and Officer Marti responded to call of a vehicle on fire on the 290-Harlem exit ramp. Officer Awad and Officer Marti worked together to extinguish the flames while at the same time discovering two people unconscious and in distress in the vehicle. The officers pulled the driver and passenger from the burning vehicle, finding them both in need of immediate medical attention.

Officer Awad and Officer Marti administered lifesaving measures to both the driver and passenger. On January 26, Chief Ken Gross presented Officer Awad and Officer Marti with Forest Park Police Department Lifesaving Awards for actions that went above and beyond in saving these two people.
Pictured left to right: Chief Ken Gross, Officer Awad, Officer Marti, Mayor Rory Hoskins.
Celebrate Black History Month with
the Forest Park Public Library
Join the Village of Forest Park's celebration of Black History Month! Please see the flier below or click here for more information.
Community Notice - Forest Park Police Department


Forest Park Police Department to motorists: 
Make the right play, designate a sober driver for the Super Bowl

The Forest Park Police Department will conduct special patrols throughout Super Bowl weekend to crack down on impaired drivers and encourage people to wear their seat belts. If your Super Bowl plans involve alcohol or marijuana, make the right play and pass your keys to a sober driver. 

“At parties throughout the country, friends will gather to cheer on their favorite team and raise a glass or two,” said Chief Ken Gross. “We urge our residents and visitors to enjoy Super Bowl parties responsibly and remind them that we’ll be out in force to help ensure everyone makes it home safely.” 
The campaign will run February 11-14.

Before kickoff, remember to designate a sober driver. If you don’t have a designated driver, call a cab, use a ride-sharing service, ask a sober friend or family member to pick you up, or stay where you are and sleep it off. Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they’re about to drive impaired and always buckle up – it’s your best defense in a crash. 

Remember, pedestrians are at risk, too. If you are walking, keep an eye out for cars. If you’re a designated driver, be alert for impaired walkers who may not obey street signs and pedestrian signals. 

The Super Bowl enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation. 

Exelon Foundation STEM Leadership Academy
The Exelon Foundation is excited to announce that applications for the 5th annual summer Exelon Foundation STEM Leadership Academy are now open! The 2022 Exelon STEM Leadership Academy is a free, week - long, residential program for 10th and 11th grade girls interested in STEM and gives them the opportunity to learn from women working in STEM and other leaders.

The 2022 application can be found here. In addition, any interested students, educators, or parents are welcome to join the STEM Leadership Academy for an Information Session! These sessions will take place on February 9th and March 3rd.
ComEd - Report an Outage
You can quickly and easily report your outage via text message, mobile app, ComEd Facebook app, or by calling customer service at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661). The online services and phone number are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also visit Check My Outage Status or View Outage Map.

  • You can report your electric outage online at Report an Outage.
  • Use the free ComEd Mobile App to quickly report an outage from an Apple ® or Android™ device. The app will also provide notifications as the outage status is updated.
  • Subscribers to Outage Alerts can quickly report an outage by texting "OUT" to 26633 (COMED). You will also receive notifications when an outage has been reported at your address, and get ongoing updates as the status of your outage changes.

Enroll: Enroll by texting ‘ADD OUTAGE’ to 26633. You will instantly receive a text message confirming your enrollment. 
New Cook County Covid-19 Mitigation Order, Testing and Vaccine Information
New Covid-19 mitigations went into effect on January 3rd, 2022 in Cook County. Any individual aged two and older and able to medically tolerate is required to wear a mask when indoors in a public place, regardless of vaccination status. Click here for updated details regarding masks and vaccination requirements in indoor settings.

For more information on getting a free Covid-19 test, please visit Covid-19 Testing – Cook County Health or Testing (illinois.gov).
Free Covid-19 Testing Kits
From the Cook County Department of Public Health:

With the Omicron variant surging, finding a COVID test can be difficult. You can order free COVID tests to be shipped to your home with no questions asked. You do not need insurance, a credit card, or any identification - just a mailing address. The process takes about two minutes. Simply visit covidtests.gov.
 
Here are FAQs about the program and what to expect:
  • When can I order a free COVID-19 test? Now. The program started today.
  • How do I order a test? You can order a test at covidtests.gov.
  • How long will it take to receive my test? Initially, due to huge initial demand, it may take up to a week, or perhaps a few days more, to receive you test.
  • How much does the test cost? The tests are absolutely free and you do not need health insurance or a credit card to order tests.
  • How many tests can I order at once? Each household can order up to 4 tests.

Thank you for getting tested, for masking up, and for getting your vaccination. For information about COVID, vaccines, and tests, please visit cookcountypublichealth.org.
CEDA - Low-Income Water Assistance Program
The Illinois Low Income Household Water Assistance Program is a crisis program for water and wastewater. Eligible customers may receive a benefit of up to $1,500 total for: 
  • Reconnection Assistance
  • Disconnection Prevention
  • Past Due Balance 
  • Disconnection Fees 
  • Late Fees 

For more information, please see the flier below, or click here.
Sarah's Inn Youth Voice Award
Sarah’s Inn is excited to announce its 2nd Annual Youth Voice Award! The organization is inviting all local high school students (ages 14-18) to write, sing, dance, or create a work of art to share their voice to end the cycle of relationship violence in their community.

For more information and for the requirements for the project, please click here. Submissions are due on or before March 6th, 2022.
Reminder: Village of Forest Park - Utility Payment System Change (Effective Immediately)
Take care of your water and sewer bill quickly and efficiently by paying online.

Beginning in January 2022, the Village of Forest Park will begin phasing out use of the e-Pay portal and is asking customers to use the Springbrook Civic Pay portal to pay water bills online.

Springbrook Civic Pay portal allows water customers the ability to view and download their water account activity, including usage, billing, and payment history. The portal enables 24/7 access to accounts, with the option for safe collection of payments commonly made in person. Payments are posted in real time. Users can make one time payments or create an online profile, choose paperless billing as an option, and sign up for auto pay.

The e-pay portal will continue to be available only for a limited time. When you pay your next water bill, please click here to create a new account in Springbrook Civic Pay and have access to bill payment and account history. You will need you water account number when creating your account.

Customers will still be able to use the Village's Automatic Debit Program. This free and convenient method pays your water bill from your checking or savings accounts. For information on the automatic debit program, contact us at 708-366-2323.



*Special Note* – The payment links noted above will take you away from the Village’s website.
Community Alert: Identity Theft
Identity theft can cause lasting damage to those who become victims of this serious crime. If you see suspicious withdrawals from your bank account, you do not receive your bills in the mail, you find unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report, or medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use, you may be a victim of identity theft.

To learn more about how to protect you and your loved ones from identity theft, or to learn what to do in the event you become a victim of identity theft, click on any of the following links:



 
You can file fraud reports with the following agencies if you are a victim of ID theft:
Social Security Administration: 800-269-0271
Credit Bureaus:
  • Transunion: 800-680-7289
  • Equifax: 800-525-6285
  • Experian: 888-397-3742
Local Hiring Opportunities
The Village of Forest Park and a number of community partners are hiring! Please see the links below for more information and to apply!

 
 
ComEd Bill Payment Assistance
To help customers stay current with their energy bills, and to avoid additional fees, ComEd has two available programs for those needing assistance.

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a federal program that can help you stay warm in during winter by providing eligible customers with a one-time payment towards your energy bills.

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) is a choice within Illinois LIHEAP to help manage energy bills year-round.

Applications for LIHEAP and PIPP can be submitted online, by phone or in person and are available at your Local Administering Agency. Visit LIHEAPillinois.com for more information.
Forest Park Senior News and Resources
The latest edition (January/February/March) of the Forest Park Senior News is now available. Please click here to read more.