Power Likely Out for 3-5 Days in Niles

Tuesday night's thunderstorms left more than 6,500 Niles homes without power, and ComEd likely will not be able to restore it for three to five days, said Steve Vinezeano, the assistant village manager, on Wednesday morning.

"I'm getting calls from people concerned about additional storms coming," he said, with those people worried their powerless sump pumps will be unable to prevent basement flooding.

Individuals who need to plug in medical equipment should go to the Niles Senior Center, which is located in the same building as the Niles Family Fitness Center in Civic Center Plaza, at the southeast corner of Waukegan Road and Oakton Street. 

The Senior Center, along with the Niles Family Fitness Center and village hall, all have power. 

The village is working on what to do if people with medically-necessary equipment  need to spend the night there in order to be near a power source.

"If you know someone who is medically challenged, please check on them," Vinezeano said.

People of all ages are welcome at the senior center if they need a place to go, Vinezeano said. If temperatures rise to uncomfortable levels, it will function as a cooling center.

Rich Wlodarski of the Niles Community Services Department warned residents who have lift systems in their homes not to run the showers or flush the toilets, since doing so could cause flooding. 

"It's not a real common thing," he said, adding most lift systems have been added to older homes.  The first indication would be if water starts rising out of the basement drains; if you see this happening, discontinue using the showers and toilets, he warned.

The village has set up a storm hotline, 847-588-8036.