DuPage County, IL – Residents across DuPage County were jolted awake by outdoor warning sirens around 3 a.m. Tuesday, but public safety officials say there was no tornado or other weather emergency.
According to DuPage Public Safety Communications, known as DU-COMM, a staff member was conducting a planned test of the weather siren activation system around 3 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18. The test was intended to check the system’s functionality without actually sounding the sirens.
Instead, the staff member accidentally activated the warning system.
The sirens were heard across communities in DuPage County, including areas such as Wheaton, Lombard, Glen Ellyn and Naperville, as residents reported the unexpected overnight activation.
DU-COMM said the sirens were deactivated as soon as staff realized the error.
“There was no weather emergency, and the system was deactivated as soon as the error was caught,” the Village of Lombard said in a public notice Tuesday morning.
DU-COMM provides 911, dispatch and other public safety communications services to 45 member police and fire agencies across DuPage County. Its responsibilities include weather monitoring and activation of severe weather sirens when conditions warrant.
The outdoor warning network can be activated during severe weather emergencies, including when tornado warnings are issued for affected areas.
DU-COMM apologized for the accidental activation, saying it recognizes the trust that residents and member agencies place in the organization.
“We regret that our error caused unnecessary interruption or confusion,” the agency said.
Residents who heard the sirens overnight did not need to take action related to Tuesday morning’s activation because officials confirmed it was a false alarm rather than a weather emergency.
