Severe Weather and Outdoor Warning Sirens

DuPage County Emergency Management

*DUPAGE COUNTY OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS

Emergency Siren Sound

Siren Activation

Siren Testing

EMERGENCY SIREN SOUND 3 5 minute steady tone Its one tool used to warn of severe weather You might not hear them if indoors*

*SIRENS ARE ACTIVATED WHENConfirmed sighting of a tornado, headed for the community, by a trained weather spotter

National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the community.

Reports of significant storm damage secondary to life-threatening winds.

*SIREN TESTINGSiren Testing 1st Tuesday of the month at 10:00 a.m.

*WEATHER EMERGENCY SIRENSSevere Thunderstorm Watch vs. Warning

Tornado Watch vs. Warning

What Should I Do When Siren Sounds?

Is There an ALL CLEAR?

Seek Shelter Seek Information

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS Watch vs. WarningSevere Thunderstorm Watch : Conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Indicates an immediate danger to those in the path of the storm.

*

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMSWhat You Should DoSeek Safe Shelter Monitor an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio and local forecast Know the DangersAll thunderstorms are dangerousDangers include lightning, tornadoes, strong winds, hail, and flash flooding*

*TORNADO WATCH VS. WARNING

Tornado Watch: Conditions are right for a tornado to develop.

Tornado Warning: a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar. Take cover immediately!!

Pay Attention to the Weather!

Watch the skyDark or greenish skyDark, low-lying clouds, especially if rotatingLarge hailLoud roar like a freight train

*If you see any of these -Take shelter!

*When the Sirens SoundSeek Shelter Immediately

Do NOT call 911 for information911 lines must remain open so police, EMS, and fire departments can respond where needed. Only call 911 if you have an emergency to report.

*SEEK SHELTERInside: Go to basement or lowest building level.Stay close to the most interior wall & away from windows.Outside or in a vehicle or mobile home: Go to the lowest floor of the nearest sturdy building. If youre not close to a building, lie flat in a ditch or depression & cover your head. Watch out for flying debris.

*IS THERE AN ALL CLEAR?There is NO All Clear! The emergency is NOT over when the sirens stop. Multiple siren activations means imminent, life-threatening impact.

*SEEK INFORMATIONOnce you are in a safe place, turn on TV, local radio, or an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio.

It is not safe to leave shelter until the warning expires.

Be prepared in case another warning is issued.

*SummarySirens are one tool to alert the publicTake personal responsibilityWatch the sky.GO inside when you hear sirens.Get an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio for emergency updates.Dont call 911 unless you have an emergency to reportBe prepared - have a planKnow where to take shelter.Keep an emergency kit in your shelter area.

*More Information

National Weather Servicewww.weather.gov

DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Managementwww.protectdupage.org

Ready Illinoiswww.ready.illinois.gov Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)www.ready.gov

The purpose of this presentation is to provide DuPage County residents with information regarding severe weather and outdoor warning sirens. This presentation can be utilized in three different ways:

As a stand-alone presentationAs a complement presentation to be used in conjunction with existing emergency preparedness or other related presentationsTo be displayed at a kiosk, in a continuous loop, such as at a community event

Notes accompany each slide, providing the presenter with additional details and information that can be shared with the audience. The notes contain some scripted comments, which may also be used. These statements are in boldface type, and they are included in quotation marks.

Today, we are going to talk about severe weather and outdoor warning sirens.

Municipalities in DuPage County, along with other communities throughout the United States, utilize outdoor warning sirens to inform the public of severe, life-threatening weather events, such as tornadoes. Outdoor warning sirens are just ONE part of a communitys overall warning and emergency notification plan.

*

Lets take a look at three components of outdoor warning sirens and their use in DuPage County.

Specifically, lets talk about the emergency siren sound, when sirens are activated and when they are tested.*A few seconds after this slide displays, you should hear an audio file that contains the sound of a typical warning siren. Simply click the screen or press Forward on your remote ONCE to silence the sound (If you click more than once, youll wind up skipping this slide).

Note: In order for the siren sound to work with this PowerPoint presentation, you must have the alert mp3 audio file saved in the same folder as the PowerPoint, so if you put the PowerPoint on a thumb drive or other computer, make sure you also move the alert mp3 file to the same location.

Allow the siren sound to play for a four or five seconds, then click the screen or press the forward button on your remote to silence it.

The sound you just heard is the sound you will hear when a typical outdoor warning siren is activated in DuPage County.

There are different versions of outdoor warning sirens, so the sound you hear coming from the siren nearest to your location may vary slightly.

As mentioned earlier, outdoor warning sirens are just ONE part of a communitys overall warning and emergency notification plan.

What other systems do you think might be used to communicate information to the public during an emergency?(The answers youre looking for here would include things such as an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio, smart phone apps, automated phone and text messaging systems, such as Reverse 911, Code Red, etc.).

Acknowledge the answers provided by audience members. If no one mentioned an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio, be sure that you mention it.

OUTDOOR warning sirens are designed to alert people who are outdoors, within a fairly close proximity to the siren. It is important to realize that you might not hear the sirens if you are indoors. That is why it is extremely important that every family and every workplace have an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio, with a battery back-up. These radios are one the most reliable ways for you to receive fast, accurate emergency information. Radios can be purchased in several retail stores, and online.

In addition to an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio, you can also download smartphone applications, sign up to receive text message notifications, etc. But again, the best way to receive emergency information during a weather event is by having an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio in your home.

*Activating weather sirens are based on three main criteria:

A confirmed sighting of a tornado, headed for the community, reported by a trained weather spotter,The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the community, orThere are reports of significant storm damage due to life-threatening winds.

*In accordance with Illinois Law, outdoor warning sirens in DuPage County are tested on the first Tuesday of every month, at 10:00 a.m.*Lets talk for a moment about some of the weather conditions that cause sirens to be activated in DuPage County, as well as what you can do to keep yourself and your family safe when you hear the sirens go off.

Specifically, lets talk about the following topics:The difference between a severe thunderstorm WATCH, as opposed to a severe thunderstorm WARNING,The difference between a tornado WATCH, as opposed to a tornado WARNING,What you should do when the siren sounds,Whether or not there is an all-clear,And how to seek shelter and seek information.*A Severe Thunderstorm WATCH is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. A severe thunderstorm, by definition, is a thunderstorm that produces one inch hail or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour. The size of the watch can vary depending on the weather situation. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours.

A Severe Thunderstorm WARNING is issued when either a severe thunderstorm is indicated by radar, or when a trained spotter reports a thunderstorm producing hail one inch or larger in diameter and/or winds equal or exceed 58 miles an hour.

When a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, people in the affected area should seek safe shelter immediately. Severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes with little or no advance warning. Lightning frequency is not a criteria for issuing a severe thunderstorm warning. They are usually issued for a duration of one hour. Also, they can be issued without a Severe Thunderstorm Watch being already in effect.

Due to advances in technology, warnings are now storm-based and not county-based. If you have a smart phone, you can visit www.weather.gov/chicago to see whether or not your community is in the specific warning area.*During a Severe Thunderstorm, you should seek safe shelter immediately because severe thunderstorms can produce tornadoes with little or no advance warning.

You should also monitor an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio for updates and information. After a Severe Thunderstorm Warning has been issued, the national Weather Service will follow it up periodically with Severe Weather Statements, which contain updated information pertaining to the severe thunderstorm. The National Weather Service will also let the public know when the warning is no longer in effect.

Some of the dangers that can occur during a thunderstorm include lighting, fast-developing tornadoes, strong winds, hail and flash-flooding. *A Tornado WATCH is issued by the National Weather Service when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in and close to the watch area. They are usually issued for a duration of 4 to 8 hours. They normally are issued well in advance of the actual occurrence of severe weather. During the watch, people should review tornado safety rules and be prepared to move a place of safety if threatening weather approaches. During the watch, the National Weather Service will keep the public informed as to what is happening in the watch area. The National Weather Service will let the public know when the watch has expired or been cancelled.

A Tornado WARNING is issued when a tornado is indicated by radar or sighted by trained spotters; therefore, people in the affected area should seek safe shelter immediately. Tornado warnings can be issued without a Tornado Watch being already in effect. They are usually issued for a duration of around 30 minutes.

Tornado Warnings typically include where the tornado was located and what towns will be in its path. If the thunderstorm which is causing the tornado is also producing torrential rains, this warning may also be combined with a Flash Flood Warning. The National Weather Service will let the public know when the warning is no longer in effect.*Watches and warnings are helpful tools, but there is no substitute for common sense. If you see the sky turn a dark, greenish color, if you observe dark, low-lying clouds, rotating clouds or large hail --or if you hear a loud, roaring noise that sounds like a freight train do not wait for an official warning to be issued: Take shelter immediately! *When you hear the sirens sound, take shelter immediately.

Make sure you bring your disaster supply kit with you when you seek shelter, including your battery-operated all-hazards/NOAA weather radio, so that you will know when the threat has passed and when it is safe to come out of shelter.

Do NOT call 911 to ask about the weather or the sirens. 911 lines must remain open so that police and fire departments can respond where they are needed. You should ONLY call 911 if you have an emergency and need police, fire or emergency medical response.*The safest location in each home and each building may vary, but generally the safest room will be a small interior room, on the lowest level, away from windows.

If you are outside, in a vehicle or in a mobile home and you are not close to a sturdy building, lie flat in a ditch or depression and cover your head and neck. Watch out for flying debris.*There is NO all-clear siren, and the emergency is NOT over when the sirens stop. The best way to know when the threat has passed is by monitoring your all-hazards/NOAA weather radio. You can also monitor local TV or visit www.weather.gov/chicago on your smart phone to find out the latest information regarding the location of the storm, and to find out when the warning is over.

Keep in mind that multiple siren activations mean imminent, life-threatening impact. For example, sirens may sound multiple time if more than one tornado is spotted in the area.*Once you are in a safe place, turn on TV, local radio, or an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio.

It is not safe to leave shelter until the warning expires.

Be prepared in case another warning is issued.*Lets quickly review what weve discussed:

Sirens are one tool to alert the public Take personal responsibilityWatch the sky.GO inside when you hear sirens.Get an all-hazards/NOAA weather radio for emergency updates.Dont call 911 unless you have an emergency to reportBe prepared - have a planKnow where to take shelter.Keep an emergency kit in your shelter area*For additional information, regarding how to Get a Kit, Make a Plan and Be Informed, and for other emergency-preparedness presentations, contact ___________ (Insert your agencys name) or the DuPage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.

Additional information can also be found online, by visiting the websites you see listed here.

Be sure to thank the audience for their participation and answer any questions they may have.*