Sirens are designed to be heard outside

No one looks forward to hearing the piercing warning.

It lasts three to five minutes and blasts from speakers strategically placed in towns throughout the state.

Once the tornado siren sounds, coming home with soggy clothes is the least of your concerns.

The National Weather Service gives the OK to activate the system once a funnel cloud is seen approaching an area. Local police and fire departments can also alert the weather service to sound the alarm.

Some towns have their sirens activated remotely by agencies like Northwest Central Dispatch. Others, like Palatine, have officials who handle the responsibility themselves.

"We wait to get notified by the National Weather Service that there's a tornado warning that potentially impacts the community that we serve," said Cindy Barbera-Brelle, executive director of Northwest Central.

Some complain after storms if they haven't heard the sound, but the alarm is designed to be heard only by people outdoors, said Dave Christensen, emergency management coordinator for Hoffman Estates.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency sets the guidelines for warning systems. Traditionally they make two sounds. The warning alarm, which rang throughout the state Thursday, is for inclement weather, such as high winds. That sound tells anybody outside to go inside.

The attack warning, which is supposed to be activated during a military strike, is not as sustained as the weather alarm.

"Hopefully we'll never hear that," Barbera-Brelle said.