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Vernon Hills students brief board on tornado, severe‑weather readiness
Summary
Students from Vernon Hills High School and their teacher presented severe‑weather preparedness information to the Village Board, highlighting Illinois tornado risk, the village’s siren network and Blackboard Connect notification system, and recommended household shelter and reunification planning.
Students from Vernon Hills High School joined the Village Board to summarize what they learned during a tour of municipal departments and to present a short briefing on severe‑weather preparedness.
The presentation, led by Mr. Rodriguez, director of college and career readiness, cited Illinois Emergency Management Agency and National Weather Service guidance showing Illinois averages roughly 53 tornadoes a year and that nearly 80% occur between April 1 and June 30. The students emphasized that tornadoes most often happen in late afternoon and early evening but can occur outside the typical season, and they urged residents to prepare accordingly.
Village staff and student presenters reviewed local emergency systems: the village operates a network of warning sirens tested monthly on the first Tuesday at 10 a.m., and residents can register for free emergency alerts through the village’s Blackboard Connect system to receive voice, text or email notifications. Staff encouraged residents to identify in‑home shelter locations and family reunification points and to consult resources such as Ready.gov and the American Red Cross for planning tips.
During a short question‑and‑answer period, trustees asked staff to confirm that Blackboard Connect requires registration for recipients to receive calls and texts and to clarify siren testing and maintenance schedules. Staff confirmed that siren testing checks software, power and network connections and that chest‑high or behind‑the‑counter systems such as ThorGuard lightning detectors are installed at several recreational locations, including the municipal golf course and the athletic complex.
The presentation closed with a reminder that village communications will share preparedness information during March and April and with a staff recommendation that residents visit vernonhills.org for additional guidance.
