Roberts Park Fire Protection District

🌪️ STORM RECOVERY UPDATE 🌪️

We now know just how significant last week’s storms were.

The National Weather Service has confirmed that our area was impacted by a derecho on Wednesday and an EF2 tornado on Thursday. These back-to-back severe weather events caused extensive damage throughout Justice, Hickory Hills, and neighboring communities and help explain the widespread tree damage, downed power lines, damaged utility poles, flooded roadways, and prolonged power outages many residents continue to experience.

As our communities continue the recovery process, we’d like to share some important cleanup information from our local public works departments.

🏡 If You Live in Hickory Hills

To help debris removal operations move as quickly and safely as possible:

• Do not place debris piles in the street. This creates hazards for motorists, emergency vehicles, and cleanup crews.

• Keep natural tree debris separate from other materials. Do not mix branches with treated lumber, metal, fencing, garbage, or other debris. Mixed piles may be passed by because they create safety concerns for workers and equipment.

• Cut branches into manageable lengths whenever possible.

• Stack debris neatly to help crews remove it more efficiently.

🏡 If You Live in Justice

• Place downed trees and branches near the curb for pickup.

• Branches and tree debris should be no larger than 6 inches in diameter so Public Works crews can process them using wood chipping equipment.

• Please keep debris out of the roadway and avoid blocking sidewalks, storm drains, or access points.

🌧️ Help Prevent Flooding

Additional rain remains possible, and residents can help reduce localized flooding by:

• Clearing leaves and storm debris away from nearby storm drains.

• Sweeping excess leaves and debris away from the curb line in front of their homes.

Keeping drains clear helps reduce street flooding and allows public works crews to remain focused on storm cleanup efforts.

📸 Document Property Damage

If your property sustained storm damage, consider taking photographs before beginning major cleanup or repairs. This documentation may be helpful for insurance claims and repair estimates.

⚠️ Safety Reminder

Please continue to assume all downed power lines are energized and dangerous. Stay far away from any downed or low-hanging wires and never attempt to move a wire, branch, fence, or other object that may be in contact with a power line.

⏳ Recovery Will Take Time

The amount of debris generated by these storms is significant, and it will take time for crews to work through every neighborhood.

Public works departments, utility crews, contractors, and first responders have been working around the clock for days and will continue doing so until the job is done. While the wait can be frustrating, please know that progress is being made every day and cleanup efforts remain underway throughout both communities.

🤝 Thank You

It’s been a long week for everyone, but we’ve also seen countless examples of neighbors helping neighbors, residents checking on one another, and community members stepping up when help was needed.

Thank you for your patience, cooperation, and resilience as Justice and Hickory Hills continue to recover.

We will continue sharing recovery information and community resources as they become available.

178 calls in 96 hours.

As our community enters another day without power, Roberts Park Fire Protection District continues responding to storm-related emergencies throughout Justice and Hickory Hills.

We know this has been a frustrating and exhausting week for many residents, businesses, and families.

The storms caused extensive damage throughout the area, including downed trees, downed power lines, damaged utility poles, and flooded roadways. Utility crews, public works employees, first responders, and countless others continue working around the clock to restore services and clear hazards.

Like many homes and businesses throughout our community, Roberts Park Fire Protection District has been operating on generator power since Wednesday while continuing to provide emergency services.

⚠️ Generator & Carbon Monoxide Safety

Generators produce carbon monoxide (CO), a deadly gas that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted.

Even when a generator is outside, CO can enter your home through doors, windows, garages, vents, and other openings.

• Never operate a generator inside a home, garage, basement, shed, or enclosed porch.
• Keep generators at least 20 feet from buildings.
• Direct exhaust away from occupied areas.

🚨 If your carbon monoxide alarm sounds, trust it.

Do not ignore it because you don’t smell anything. Carbon monoxide is odorless and invisible.

If your CO alarm activates:
• Move everyone outside immediately.
• Call 911.
• Do not re-enter until emergency responders determine it is safe.

⚠️ Downed Power Lines

Assume all downed or low-hanging wires are energized.

• Stay away.
• Keep children and pets away.
• Never attempt to move wires, branches, or objects touching power lines.
• Call 911 if there is an immediate hazard.

⚠️ Flooded Roadways

Please do not drive through flooded roadways.

Last night, firefighters responded to multiple incidents involving vehicles stranded in floodwaters, helping motorists reach safety while conditions continued to deteriorate across the area.

🚗 Turn Around, Don’t Drown.

🤝 Check on Your Neighbors

Please continue checking on elderly neighbors, family members, and anyone who may need assistance during this extended outage.

Cooling centers:
https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/cooling-centers

If you know of open grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, charging locations, or other community resources, please share them in the comments so neighbors can help neighbors.

Thank you for your continued patience, understanding, and support as recovery efforts continue.