Chicago sirens go off

[Robert Gift]

Bravo, Mike, in getting that Tornado Warning broadcast.

Maybe CFD needs to review whom is to do what.

My understanding is that a NWS-issued warning is to be evaluated
and a decision made whether to sound sirens.
Normally they would sound justhe sirens in the areaffected.

[KB9WZV]

You know what was kinda funny about this whole thing was the fact that most of the FD had no idea what was going on. Chicago FD is not the agency who activates the sirens, that is done on the order of the Chicago Office Of Emergency Managment and Communications. Through out this whole ordeal there were 3 discrete supercell thunderstorms spaced about 15 miles apart that originated in LaSalle and DeKalb counties about 70 miles WSW of Chicago and they were tornado warned the whole time...So...unless you were living in a hole...you knew the weather was bad. At 5:55 a trained spotter reported a tornado in Park Ridge resulting in a tornado warning for Northern Cook Co. At the same time strong rotation was observed near O'Hare Airport resulting in the Central Cook Co warning at 6:10. Given the fact that there were numerous reports of funnel clouds from the public, trained spotters, and numerous public safety persons, the call was given to sound the sirens in Chicago at 6:16. This is the first time the entire system was activated for an actual emergency...EVER. Anywho, I turned on Chicago Main and Chicago Englewood (the two fire dispatch bands the serve Chicago). Numerous engine and ladder companies were calling in on the radio and advising the warning sirens were going off. Finally, the fire dispatch made a general announcement addressing all MABAS 9 units (MABAS 9 is the mutual aid district that encompasses the City of Chicago) that a tornado warning has been issued for Central Cook County until 6:45. Seems to me somebody dropped the ball in communicating the warning the appropriate city departments since knowbody knew what the hell was happening until almost 10 minutes after the warning was issued. Regardless the warning was cancelled at 6:34 as the warned storm moved over Lake Michigan resulting in some minor tree and power line damage in the city. Whenever we activate the siren (which we are responsible for 4 different towns) we make the announcment over the PD main band and the fire band something to the effect..."Attention Matteson, Richton, Park Forest, Olympia Fields...we are activating the sirens for a sighted funnel, tornado, ect....." This is done either by us (EMA), or our dispatch. This way everyone knows what is going on. Also kinda irks me Chicago didn't seem to make use of cable override, the voice capability on the Mods, and over half of the TV and radio stations didn't activate the EAS...We got luck this time....nothing happened...but the luck is gonna run out!