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1. Where is the office of the Aurora Emergency Management Agency?

The Aurora Emergency Management Agency is located at:
1200 E Indian Trail
Aurora, IL 60506

2. How do I contact the Aurora Emergency Management Office?

Phone: 630-256-5801 or 630-256-5800
Fax: 630-256-5809
Twitter: @Aurora_il_ema

For email addresses and additional information, view the staff directory entry.

3. What can I find on the Aurora Emergency Management (EM) Twitter site?

Find up-to-date information about emergency management responses, weather information, and situation updates about incidents in our city. Also find road closures and traffic information, classes and training opportunities. The Aurora EM also follows the City of Aurora, Aurora police, Illinois Department of Transportation, FEMA, Centers of Disease Control and the National Weather Service that also provide important information.

In addition, as a follower you will be able to post on our site questions, photographs of weather and storm damage, reports of damage from storms, power outages along with other items you feel are important.

4. How does the Aurora Outdoor Warning Siren System operate?

The city of Aurora has 18 sirens installed to warn residents of possible tornadoes, extreme severe weather, major emergencies, or the possibility of an attack on the United States that would affect the Aurora region.

5. When are the sirens tested?

The sirens are tested the first Tuesday of each month at 10 a.m. If tests are required after maintenance there will be notification to the local news agencies, cities Facebook and Twitter accounts and the Aurora Emergency Management Twitter Account. If there is a severe weather threat on a schedule test day the test will be canceled and local media will be notified of the cancellation.

Sirens will not be tested if the outside temperature is 32 degrees or colder.

6. Why do I not always hear the Outdoor Warning Sirens indoors when they are activated?

Outdoor Warning sirens are meant to alert residents when they are outside away from television, radio, and weather alert radios. They are not intended to notify residents that are in their homes or businesses.

7. The warning sirens are sounding, what should I do?

Do not call the Aurora Police Department dispatch center, Emergency Management Agency or County Police. If there is threatening weather take cover indoors on the lowest level of your home in an inner room. Tune in to your local television station, radio station, Emergency Weather Radio, or Aurora’s Emergency Advisory Radio Station 1650 AM for information.

8. Will the warning system be used to sound the all clear when the threat has passed?

No, the warning siren will not be sounded when the threat has passed.

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1. What should I do when I hear the sirens?

When the sirens are heard, go inside and tune to local media to get more information, such as the Emergency Radio Station.

2. Why can't I hear the sirens in my house?

Sirens are an outdoor warning system designed only to alert those who are outside that something dangerous is approaching.

3. How can I get alerts when I'm at work or in my house?

For alerts indoors, every home and business should have a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio All-Hazards. NOAA Weather Radio is like a smoke detector for severe weather, and it can wake you up when a warning is issued for your area so you can take appropriate action.

4. When are sirens tested?

Sirens are tested the first Tuesday of the month at 10:30 a.m. if the outside temperature is above 32 degrees and severe weather is not expected.

5. Why don't the outdoor warning sirens sound an all-clear signal?

There is not an all-clear signal because people should be indoors and monitoring local media for updates on the storm.

6. Why are the outdoor warning sirens sometimes sounded for hail and wind?

When thunderstorm winds exceed 70 miles per hour (mph), trees can be uprooted or snapped. Hail that is golf ball sized or larger can break windows. Both of these things pose a direct risk to life if people are caught outdoors.