Federal agencies: Gurnee ready for dangerous weather

The federal government has determined Gurnee is on the ball when dangerous weather approaches the village.

Officials from the National Weather Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration judged a detailed application submitted by Gurnee and found the village worthy of the StormReady Community designation.

"We're not only responsible for the citizens in our community, but also the many visitors that come into the community," Fire Chief Fred Friedl said Tuesday.

Gurnee typically receives about 26 million visitors annually. Major attractions include Gurnee Mills, Six Flags Great America and KeyLime Cove Water Resort.

Mayor Kristina Kovarik said the StormReady designation will mean more than being able to post signs at the village's main entrances touting the achievement. It is expected to benefit residents and businesses with flood insurance through boosting the village's rating.

"We're on top of it," Kovarik said of what the StormReady Community tag means. "We're making sure we have the latest and greatest technologies and policies, and we're watching out for (the community)."

To receive the StormReady designation, applicants must meet criteria set by the federal agencies behind the program. It includes having a 24-hour emergency operations center and alerting the public to severe weather forecasts and warnings.

In addition, towns must have a system that monitors local conditions and uses trained weather spotters. Gurnee's village-trained storm spotters relay information to emergency dispatchers when necessary.

Gurnee uses an automated phone alert system that sends text or voice messages to residents and other subscribers. Kovarik encouraged anyone who has yet to do so to sign up for the service.

Social media also plays a role in Gurnee's weather warnings through alerts on Twitter and Facebook. Gurnee's siren-and-speaker outdoor warning system is capable of providing a prerecorded announcement regarding emergencies villagewide.

"We're just trying to get information out to people in as many ways as possible," said Kovarik, who announced the StormReady designation Monday.

Gurnee joins a smattering of suburbs, including Libertyville, Hanover Park, Palatine, St. Charles and Naperville, that have made the StormReady cut. There are 73 Illinois cities on the list.

National Weather Service statistics show there are about 500 weather-related deaths annually.

Of roughly 100,000 thunderstorms yearly, 10,000 are classified as severe, according to the weather service. There's also an estimated 5,000 floods or flash floods, 1,000 tornadoes and two hurricanes that reach land per year.