The severe weather during the late afternoon hours Wednesday within Iroquois County generated at least two separate tornado touchdowns.

Iroquois County EMA, along with members of the Ford County EMA, accompanied the National Weather Service (NWS) survey team as they closely examined the structural damage and large debris fields that were consistent with tornadic activity. Following a discussion with Ford County Deputy EMA Coordinator Danny Neal- who witnessed the early circulation within the storm cell, the origination location in the far east side of Ford County was established. The team continued to rural Loda for the first area of significant damage, just north of the south County line on 400 East Road where major damage was found to a hog farm. At least one of the buildings was found to be completely destroyed, and several others with very heavy damage. An extremely large swath of debris extended northeast to the second location about a mile away near the intersection of 100 North Road at 500 East Road. Two separate properties suffered significant damage, with a pickup truck flipped over, and a large piece of lumber was impaled in a west facing exterior wall that penetrated into a bedroom of the residence. A very large debris field also extended northeast from those locations where the path of the first tornado came to an end. This tornado was classified as an EF-1, with winds around 100 miles per hour.

The second location of significant damage was located southwest of Cissna Park, near 1000 East 500 North Road. An outbuilding was destroyed, and another significant debris field was generated with a separate touchdown from the same storm cell as it moved northeast through the county. Two separate eyewitness accounts- both with cellphone video of the tornado on the ground, assisted in the confirmation of an EF-0 tornado, with winds around 65 miles per hour.

The NWS office issued a tornado warning for Iroquois County, regarding this specific storm cell at 5:13 pm, and included Cissna Park, Milford, Woodland and Watseka and all areas between and close to the warned area. EMA requested siren activation for the warned locations through ICOM dispatch.

Questions have been raised relating to a several minute delay between the NWS warning announcement and the siren activations. Following an internal investigation into the current procedures, a communication deficiency has been identified and is being immediately addressed.

The life safety of all Iroquois County residents is of paramount importance, and identifying potential deficiencies relating to that- and correcting them immediately, is our highest priority,

Scott Anderson, Coordinator

Iroquois County Emergency Management Agency