‘The sirens go off because you’re under threat’: Elgin officials clarify emergency warning system

Two months after addressing the city council about Elgin’s emergency warning siren system activating during severe thunderstorms, Fire Chief Robb Cagann returned to the podium Wednesday night to explain when and why the sirens will sound going forward.

Council members also got an unexpected preview.

The city had been researching the best way to notify people about dangerous weather for the past couple of months after complaints over “siren fatigue” led to a temporary manual operation of the previously automatic notification system.

The city has 25 sirens across its 38 square miles. They had been automatically activated whenever the National Weather Service issued a warning for the area, including tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings with damaging winds or large hail.

Residents had complained about confusion, expecting the sirens to specifically indicate tornadoes.

Cagann said city officials “agonized” over how best to keep the community safe, but ultimately decided to return to full automation because, he added, the ‘why’ of the sirens sounding isn’t important.

“It doesn't matter the threat at that moment,” Cagann said. “You don’t need to know at the moment those sirens go off, why they’re going off. You need to do two things: seek shelter and then get more information.

“The sirens go off because you’re under threat,” he said.

Cagann said severe thunderstorms can cause damage equal to or worse than an EF-0 tornado.

“These are severe storms,” he said, adding that 70 mph straight-line winds can cause major damage to structures and “significant damage to people.”

Officials researched the idea of using two different tones to indicate if the siren is for a tornado or severe thunderstorm, but Cagann said it was “fraught with danger” and impractical.

“It’s impossible to be able to get everybody at all times to understand what the different sounds are,” he said, especially for people who don’t live in Elgin but are there when the sirens go off.

Cagann said other suburban communities, including Libertyville, Mundelein and Vernon Hills, activate their sirens the same way and have done so for a number of years.

“What we’re doing is not new and not leading the way, it’s getting on board with what progressive communities are doing when it comes to notifying (people) of impending threats,” he said.

Josie Beecher-Crotty, Elgin’s communications manager, said the city will embark on an education initiative about the sirens that would include a social media campaign, videos, the city newsletter, a webpage FAQ, print handouts for events and outreach to community partners and local institutions.

The city has also created a text alert system for which residents can sign up at ElginIL.gov/Alerts.

“If you sign up for the alerts, you will get information as to why the sirens went off,” Cagann said.

Cagann’s presentation came after the council meeting was suspended because the city’s emergency warning sirens sounded at about 6:10 p.m. People in the council chambers spent over 40 minutes in the basement before resuming the meeting.

“Sorry it got delayed, but it was a good start,” Cagann joked.

Cagann thanked the council and city staff for leading by example in pausing the meeting to seek shelter.

“It’s not the first time we’ve suspended a meeting to go down to the basement and demonstrate exactly what we’re saying needs to happen,” he said. “I think it’s great for the community to see that.”