The Village of Alsip Disaster Warning System consists of two Model 2001SRN outdoor warning sirens made by the Federal Signal Corporation of University Park. Each has been located to service a large area of the Village of Alsip and the combination of the two, service the total warning needs. One unit is located in the area of 126th Street and Pulaski Road. The other is located on the Southwest corner of the Cicero Avenue west frontage road at 118th street. Two signals are possible from our system. The siren emits high and low tones in two different combinations to achieve the two signals as follows: 

1. A sustained double tone (high and low together) is the ESDA Alert signal. This signal is also used for tornado warnings.

2. An undulated double tone (continual up and down tone) is the Attack warning and would signal the possibility of a nuclear threat or a nuclear related incident of some kind.

The alert signal is tested once each month (the first Tuesday) at 10:00 AM. The following is suggested as a family guide if the alert signal is sounded at an unscheduled time. 

1. Turn on the radio or television set for more information as to the potential disaster situation  (An evaluation of outside weather conditions may be sufficient to quickly establish a severe storm    situation) .

2. Alert all members of the family to the potentially dangerous situation and move together to the safe area of the home.

3. While in the safe area monitor the alert condition on radio until it has been established that the danger has passed. 

In the case of severe storm conditions, the signal will not be sounded until it has been established that the Alsip area is actually in the path and the danger is near. As an example, this will be done when a tornado watch has changed to a tornado warning for the immediate area. This change in storm condition status will be the result or a weather watch radio report or direct observation or a funnel-shaped cloud headed towards Alsip. For your information and to clarify the above statements the following definitions of tornado "watch" and "warning" are outlined.   

A Tornado Watch is issued by the U.S. Weather Bureau for areas where tornadoes may occur during the next several hours. The objective or a "Watch" is to alert the public in the area of the watch to the possibility of tornadoes.