Lombard Fire Dept. clarifies warning siren activation

LOMBARD, Illinois— Several inquiries have been made to the Lombard Fire Department regarding the outdoor weather siren activation during last Friday evening's storm. The outdoor weather siren activation occurs when there is a likelihood of severe weather approaching the area.

“The decision to set off the sirens was made by our dispatch center, based on the information they had collected over a period of time that evening,” said Lombard Fire Department's Assistant Chief, Jerry Howell. “The decision met the criteria for weather siren activation,” he added.

“Information on the weather was provided from both eye witness reports and National Weather Service reports. In the case of last Friday, all the conditions existed for what could have been a much more significant storm event,” Howell added. “Fortunately, the storm did not impact Lombard as much as some communities surrounding Lombard; however, the siren activation did what in fact it was supposed to do — warn our residents about the likelihood of severe weather approaching,” Howell added.