Champaign County EMA Urges Residents to Prepare for Severe Weather
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2025
Contact
Tanya Giannotti, Public Relations
(217) 531-2925 /
John Dwyer, Coordinator / CCEMA
(217) 384-3826 /
Champaign County EMA Urges Residents to Prepare for Severe Weather
Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois is March 3-7
CHAMPAIGN, IL – The Champaign County Emergency Management Agency (CCEMA) urges residents to prepare for severe weather. Following 142 tornadoes in 2024, Illinois now ranks third in the United States for tornadoes per square mile, behind Mississippi and Alabama. Nearly 20% of all tornadoes in Illinois occur at night, including an EF-3 tornado near Robinson on March 31, 2024.
While we cannot prevent severe thunderstorms, lightning, or tornadoes, we can take steps to minimize their impact on our lives and families. The National Weather Service (NWS) recommends the following precautions:
STAY INFORMED
Do not rely solely on outdoor storm sirens, as they are not designed to be heard indoors by everyone. Instead, stay updated using multiple sources, including:
- Weather alert radios
- Local radio and TV broadcasts
- NWS websites
- Smartphone apps such as FEMA and Red Cross (ensure emergency alerts are enabled)
- Wireless emergency alerts on smartphones
HAVE AN EMERGENCY PLAN
Create an emergency plan for your home, workplace, school, and travel. Identify safe shelter locations for severe weather, including tornadoes. Choose two meeting places in case you are separated from family or coworkers. If traveling, know the names of the counties and cities you visit.
PREPARE YOUR HOME AND YOURSELF
- Learn how to use a fire extinguisher, administer CPR, and shut off electricity, gas, and water in your home.
- Inspect your home for hazards, such as weakened trees, cracked windows, and worn roofing.
- Reinforce roofs, upper floors, and garages when constructing or renovating to minimize wind damage.
HAVE AN EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT
Severe weather can cause power outages lasting several days. Your kit should include:
| Bottled water | Medications and a first aid kit |
| Non-perishable food | Personal hygiene items |
| Flashlights and extra batteries | Pet supplies |
| Extra clothing and blankets | A weather alert radio or portable AM/FM radio |
| A spare set of keys and cash |
SIREN PROTOCOLS FOR THE CHAMPAIGN-URBANA METRO AREA
Champaign County EMA has updated its siren activation protocol for the Cities of Champaign and Urbana, the University of Illinois, and the Village of Savoy. Sirens will activate for severe thunderstorms if the warning includes the term “destructive.” This designation was used for the June 29, 2023, storms. A destructive damage threat is defined as having hail at least 2.75 inches in diameter (baseball-sized) and winds of 80 mph or higher.
Warnings with this tag will automatically trigger a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on smartphones in the affected area.
Other county municipalities that have updated their siren protocols include Fisher, Tolono, Sidney, and Pesotum.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have developed a Severe Weather Preparedness Guide covering tornadoes, severe storms, lightning, and flooding. This guide is available on the Ready Illinois website: www.Ready.Illinois.gov.
For additional severe weather safety information, visit:
NWS Lincoln: https://www.weather.gov/ilx/
Ready Illinois Facebook: www.facebook.com/ReadyIllinois
Ready Illinois on X: x.com/ReadyIllinois
Champaign County EMA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Champaign
EMA Champaign County EMA on X: x.com/ChampCoEMA
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