Today, the City's Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) used the first Tuesday of this month to showcase the testing of the City's Emergency Warning System and revise its alert warning to an all-hazard warning.

OEMC is responsible for maintaining and operating public warning alert systems located throughout Chicago in the event of an emergency. The sirens are tested on the first Tuesday of every month at 10:00 a.m.

"Today we are transitioning from the current weather alert warning to an all-hazard warning which gives us the ability to utilize a warning system for a variety of potential emergency scenarios, " said OEMC Executive Director Ron Huberman. "A unified warning system will help the public better understand how to react to the specific wails of the sirens and what to do in the event of an emergency," he stressed.

The all-hazard system is designed to provide a single recognizable and audible tone that alerts the public in the event of an emergency. Types of emergencies categorized in the all-hazard alert system include tornado warnings, earthquakes, chemical spills or biological hazards, and terrorist attacks.

The public is urged to pay attention to the sirens when they are tested on the first Tuesday of every month and use the opportunity to think about and practice community and family response plans.

Emergency Alert

The public will hear two tones: The tone that gives the warning about an emergency, and a tone that gives the all-clear.

A three-minute wavering tone indicates there is a serious life-threatening emergency such as a tornado, earthquake, flash flood, chemical or biological attack. A national emergency would also fall under this category.

The public should immediately seek shelter and tune to local radio and television news stations for further information and evacuation procedures, if necessary. The public should not call 9-1-1 unless they have an actual emergency.

Shelter locations include interior rooms of buildings, home basements, or any reinforced structures away from glass. During a tornado or sever weather event, traveling motorists unable to seek suitable shelter are advised to quickly abandon the vehicle and remain flat on the ground to avoid flying debris.

A three-minute steady tone signals the all-clear on the emergency, meaning there is no immediate or direct threat to the community.

Director Huberman was also joined by Alderman Leslie A. Hairston, (5th), 3rd District Commander Ernest Brown, and First Deputy Fire Chief Norbert Diaz.

Chicago currently has 112 sirens hoisted strategically on poles 1 to 2 miles apart throughout the City to ensure coverage. The pitch is loud enough to echo a high tone signal.

Today's test begins at 10:00 a.m. and will last for 30 seconds.