Nobody knows the wrath of Mother Nature better than the Village of Oak Lawn when an F4 tornado tore through the village in 1967, causing millions of dollars in damage and claiming 37 lives.

See the attached letter to residents.

The village has purchased a new, state-of-the-art tornado siren system to replace the current 25-year-old system. This new system is designed to give residents the best advance warning possible and to help Oak Lawn be better prepared for tornadoes and other emergencies.

Among the new system's features are better sound coverage and voice capabiities to relay warning messages in four languages (Engilsh, Spanish, Polish and Arabic).

Letters are being sent to residents notifying them of the system's installation slated to take place the weeks of Feb. 11 and Feb. 21. While the new system is being installed, residents may hear the test message being played between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

This test message will include the siren test tones and the voice messages. The sirens will be installed by village public works employees and private contractors at the following locations:

• 5500 W. 111^th Street and Frontage Road
• 102^nd Street and Major Avenue
• 103^rd Street and Kostner Avenue (Behind Fire House)
• 93^rd Place and South Keeler Avenue
•  6451 West 93^rd Place (Behind Fire House)
• 91st Street and 52nd Avenue (Covington School)

Don't worry, we'll remind you again in February of the siren system's installation.