La Grange Dispatcher Apologizes For Lack Of Siren: Inquiry

LA GRANGE, IL — The agency that handles 911 calls for La Grange, La Grange Park and Western Springs failed to sound sirens in June when the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for the area.

Through a public records request to the La Grange village government, Patch obtained documents relating to the internal inquiry about when went wrong at the Lyons Township Area Communications Center, which handles dispatch services and tornado sirens for area towns.

As part of the investigation, the executive director, Mike O'Connor, said the agency interviewed the two dispatchers who were on duty late the night of June 20 when the National Weather Service issued the warning. The report indicated the dispatcher handling police calls was at fault for the lack of a siren.

According to a June 24 report, the dispatcher began her interview by saying, "I knew this was going to come back on me." When asked, she said she was aware the tornado warnings listed the local area, the report said. She said that at two other dispatch agencies, she had to get approval before sounding sirens. She said she was under the impression that was the policy locally.

However, the local agency's policy is to activate the sirens in a number of circumstances, including when the National Weather Service issues a warning, with no higher-up's approval required. Asked whether she was aware of the policy, the dispatcher said she thought she knew it, according to the investigation, but then said, "Now I'm going to get blamed for this, aren't I?"

Given what she thought was the requirement, the dispatcher was then asked whether she sought permission from any police or fire supervisors about whether the sirens should be activated. She said no. When asked why, she did not provide an answer, but said she was sorry, according to the report.

Later in the interview, the dispatcher said she knew she should set off the sirens, but didn't want to go over the other dispatcher's head and make her upset, according to the investigation. The other dispatcher was the shift leader.

She was then asked why she feared the other dispatcher would get upset if the sirens needed to be sounded. The dispatcher responded, "I know, I'm sorry," the report said.

She then repeatedly apologized and said she knew she should have activated the sirens, according to the report.

The report's investigator wrote, "I asked her if she realized that this weather had put potentially thousands of our residents at risk, and not setting off the sirens was a serious issue. She nodded her head yes."

The agency confirmed the dispatch center had received tornado warning messages in a timely manner and that the dispatcher in question received the information and failed to take further action.

"She also did not inform her partner that the weather messages included tornado warnings, which may have resulted in her partner activating the sirens," the report said.

In a memo to the agency's executive board, O'Connor, the executive director, said the dispatcher's actions warranted disciplinary action under the personnel policy. The next portion of the memo, which may have indicated what type of disciplinary action the dispatcher would receive, was blacked out.

Late last week, the dispatch agency released a public statement about the siren issue, but it did not indicate the problem with the employee.

"After conducting a thorough review into this incident, LTACC has identified and addressed the cause and has taken steps to prevent its occurrence in the future," O'Connor said in the statement.

The statement said the agency has engaged dispatchers on the tornado siren policy.

"LTACC is confident that the siren activation policy will be effectively applied going forward," it said.

The tornadoes on June 20 touched down in Naperville, Woodridge and Darien.