Chicago marks 30 years since deadly 1995 heat wave
Art installment remembers 739 people lost in 1995 Chicago heat wave
This weekend marks thirty years since a deadly heat wave in Chicago -- took the lives of 739 people.
CHICAGO - This weekend marks three decades since the deadly 1995 Chicago heat wave that claimed the lives of 739 people over a five-day stretch of extreme temperatures.
The devastation primarily impacted under-resourced communities, leading to changes in awareness and preparedness campaigns citywide.
What we know:
To honor the lives lost, Quinn Chapel AME Church, near 24th Street and Wabash Avenue, partnered with the community group People’s Response Network (PRN) to unveil a temporary art installation featuring hundreds of cups of water — one for each victim.
The heat wave, which spanned from July 12 to July 16, 1995, brought temperatures into the upper 90s and low 100s.
"It's about having conversations, but it's also about action," said Pastor Troy Venning with Quinn Chapel AME Church.
The cups were divided into sections based on the area of the map, and early Friday, ice was placed in each one—left to melt in the sun as a symbol of each life slowly slipping away.
"That affected principally majority poor communities," said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward).
The crisis disproportionately affected elderly and disabled residents in Black and Latino communities who lacked access to air conditioning and other cooling resources.
"People with disabilities are two to four times more likely to be injured or die in natural disasters, including heat waves and floods," said Iliana Haven, housing community organizer with the Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago.
On Friday, organizers pointed to concerns over climate change as reasons why preparedness is key, particularly in marginalized communities.
"Neighborhoods that were redlined are 22 degrees hotter than non-redlined neighborhoods. Redlined neighborhoods have less tree canopy, closer to the expressways, for example, the Dan Ryan Expressway, and closer to railroads," said Lonette Sims, PRN chair.
As the sun set, community members gathered inside for a screening of "Cooked: Survival by Zip Code." Together, they reflected on the past while working to ensure it doesn't happen again.
"The 1995 heat wave is one of those disasters that shapes and governs how we operate," said Kaila Lariviere, who is a manager of Emergency Management Services with OEMC.
In the months following the 1995 heat wave, the city saw the beginnings of what we now know as the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC).
"I like to say we're the three Cs – we're coordination, collaboration, communication and that communication piece is the top of our list in efforts in what we really put our driving force behind," Lariviere said.
Since its inception, officials say the agency has worked to improve response strategies and ensure more equitable distribution of information and resources during extreme weather and other emergencies.
"It's very important to make sure we're being equitable in our distribution of information, meaning we are targeting every population that we can, no matter where you are in the city. We want you all to digest the same information because we're talking about a real emergency and we need everyone to take it seriously," added Lariviere.
What you can do:
Residents are encouraged to sign up for "Notify Chicago" alerts, which provide real-time updates about weather emergencies, traffic issues, hazardous materials incidents and more.
For details on how to enroll, follow this link.
The city's CHI311 app is also a resource that residents can rely on for alerts, along with service requests, such as wellness checks and transportation for disabled community members.