The Oak Park
Fire Department offers life-saving CPR classes in its certified
American Heart Association Community Training Center at 100 N. Euclid Ave.
CPR courses available through the Fire Department include
infant/child CPR, general CPR/AED and CPR/AED for health care
providers. Course material is presented by an AHA Certified
Instructor. Infant/child classes are held on various Mondays
once a month, adult classes the first and third Wednesday of
each month and healthcare provider classes the fourth Wednesday
of each month. Classes are from 6 - 10 p.m. Registration is
free for Oak Park residents, but a $10 text book fee payable by
check or money order is required. In-person registration at
least two weeks prior to the date of the desired course also is
required. For more information, call 445.3300 or email fire@oak-park.us.
When you
change your clocks to Daylight Savings Time at 2 a.m., Sun.,
April 4, the Oak Park Fire Department reminds all residents to
take an extra moment to check the batteries in all their smoke
detectors. In a recent survey, 92 percent of American homes
have smoke detectors, but nearly one-third didn't work
because of worn or missing batteries. Remember, a smoke
detector is your family's best defense against fire. Keep
it in top working condition with an annual battery change.
Smoke detectors also are available for purchase at the Main
Fire Station, 100 N. Euclid Ave. For more information, call
445.3300 or email fire@oak-park.us.
Injuries from
vehicle collisions in the Village have been on the decline
since changes to traffic controls based on a multi-year,
Village wide traffic study were implemented, reversing a
previous upward trend. From a high of 440 in 1998, collisions
with injuries fell to 330 in 2001, a decrease of 25 percent.
Traffic accidents with injuries remained relatively steady at
336 in 2002, the last full year for which data is available.
The traffic study, completed at the request of the Parking and
Traffic Commission, examined collision rates at intersections
throughout the Village. Plans to improve traffic controls and
reduce collision rates were developed following an extensive
public hearing process to assess neighborhood concerns and
gather resident feedback. The traffic study concentrated on
intersections where angle collisions are particularly
dangerous. New traffic controls, such as alternating two-way
stop signs, helped reduced angle collisions to 280 in 2002,
down from 539 in 1998, and angle collisions with injuries to
60, down from 131 during the same period. Rear-end collisions
remain an area of concern. However, rear-end collisions were
716 in 2002, compared to 750 in 1998. To help reduce vehicle
collisions and injuries, drivers are urged to observe traffic
regulations, buckle seat belts and place children under eight
years old in an approved child restraint or booster seat.
Residents who observe reckless driving also are encouraged to
pull over and call 911 with as much information as possible,
including location, make and color of the vehicle and license
plate number. Traffic injuries also can be reduced by
consolidating trips, shopping in neighborhood stores, walking,
bicycling and taking mass transit. For more information, call
358.5720 or email publicworks@oak-park.us.