CAPT OF ACR FLT ELECTS TO START TKOF WITH FO NOT STRAPPED IN AND NO ALERT TO THE CABIN ATTENDANTS.

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AFTER A 2 1/2 HR 'CREEPING' DELAY BECAUSE OF A SNOWSTORM AT ORD WE FINALLY RECEIVED OUR CLRNC FOR PUSHBACK FROM THE GATE. FIELD CONDITIONS WERE AS FOLLOWS: TEMP 21 DEGS F; SNOWING MODERATELY; ALL SURFACES COVERED WITH 2 TO 12 INCHES OF DRY BLOWING SNOW (ESTIMATED); BRAKING ACTION RPTED AS FAIR TO POOR ON ALL SURFACES; RWY 14R HAD 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH DRY SNOW CLUTTER; VISIBILITY 1/4 MI; WIND 100/08. AS WE STARTED OUR PUSH; THE TRACTOR DRIVER HAD TO STOP BECAUSE OF SNOWPLOWS WORKING BEHIND US. WHEN WE DID GET PUSHED; WE WERE DEICED ON THE INNER TXWY. DURING THE DEICING; SNOWPLOWS WERE WORKING ALL AROUND US AND OUR 7 DEICING TRUCKS. JUST AS I ADDED PWR TO TAXI AFTER RECEIVING CLRNC TO RWY 14R; 3 SNOWPLOWS IN A 'CONGO LINE' PASSED UNDER OUR NOSE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO COORD BTWN THE TWR AND SNOW REMOVAL OPS. DURING TAXI; TWICE WE HAD TO STOP BECAUSE WE WERE NOT SURE OF THE TXWY BOUNDARIES. SNOW WAS COVERING THE SIGNS AND SOME EDGE LIGHTS. AT THE END OF THE RWY WE WERE #2 FOR TKOF. WE COMPLETED THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST 'TO THE LINE.' I STOPPED THE PLANE AND HAD THE FO GO TO THE MAIN CABIN TO CHK WINGS FOR SNOW ACCUMULATION. THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. I REQUESTED A DELAY TO GET READY FOR TKOF; THE TWR CAME BACK WITH A CLRNC TO TAXI DOWN THE RWY AND EXIT AT THE FIRST TURNOFF. HE SAID THAT HE HAD 2 AIRPLANES BEHIND US WHO WERE READY FOR TKOF. I MOVED THE PLANE ONTO THE RWY JUST AS THE FO GOT INTO HIS SEAT. HE TOLD ME THAT THE WINGS WERE CLEAN. I TOLD THE TWR WE WERE NOW READY FOR TKOF AND ASKED IF WE WERE STILL CLRED TO GO. THE TWR CLRED US FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF. I BROUGHT THE PWR UP AS THE FO FINISHED THE 'FINAL' ITEMS ON THE CHKLIST. HOWEVER; ONE OF THE ITEMS IS TO INFORM THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO PREPARE FOR TKOF. THE FO ASKED ME IF I HAD MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT. I HADN'T! MY CHOICE WAS TO ABORT AND FINISH THE CHKLIST PROPERLY OR CONTINUE THE TKOF. GIVEN THE CONDITIONS; I CONTINUED THE TKOF. I FOUND OUT LATER THAT MOST OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THEIR SEATS; BUT ONE HAD TO MAKE A DASH FROM THE GALLEY TO HER SEAT. STARTING TO TAXI WITHOUT THE FO IN HIS SEAT AND NOT MAKING THE PRE-TKOF ANNOUNCEMENT WERE SERIOUS BREACHES OF SAFETY! WE HAD BEEN MAKING DECISIONS AND SOLVING PROBS IN RAPID SUCCESSION FOR ABOUT 3 1/2 HRS. I THINK THAT MY CONCENTRATION AND DISCIPLINE WERE BROKEN DOWN BY MY WEARINESS. THIS ALLOWED ME TO BE PRESSURED INTO RUSHING BY THE TWR AND MY OWN EAGERNESS TO GET THE FLT ON ITS WAY.