NIU partners with National Weather Service
to protect DeKalb County with warning radio

by Mark McGowan

When Gilbert Sebenste began forecasting weather from Northern Illinois University, he discovered an alarming coverage gap in the National Weather Service's network of 150 warning radios: DeKalb County.

Now, thanks to Sebenste's efforts and determination, the university enjoys a clear signal from an on-campus emergency radio that warns of tornadoes, thunderstorms and other severe weather conditions moving toward the NIU area.

"We were barely covered," said Sebenste, NIU's meteorologist. "I petitioned the National Weather Service to do something."

Although the situation was far better than a year or so earlier, when the university had only 74 civil defense radios, the lack of signal near the university troubled Sebenste. Reception from the radios in Rockford and Plano was weak and susceptible to blackouts.

But National Weather Service officials initially disagreed that there was a problem, Sebenste said. After he made several calls, he said, the service finally offered to send someone out to test the strength of the signal.

"We weren't even close to the accepted signal," Sebenste said, smiling proudly. "He could barely pick up anything at all of acceptable quality. In Sycamore, he got nothing at all."

It has resulted in the placement of a radio system atop Grant Tower D, on NIU's West Campus. NIU offered the space for free, Sebenste said, and even pitched in an abandoned transmitting antenna and an equipment rack.

The system is hooked to a diesel generator, making it resistant to power outages. It sends a clear and powerful signal across the university and can help provide an early warning to highly populated classrooms when caution or evacuation is necessary.

Others, including local police, fire and media agencies, also can tap into the system.

"This provides life-saving information for the entire campus community, even in the worst weather," Sebenste said. "We're also protecting DeKalb County residents who do not have severe weather coverage."

NIU's new radio adds to its distinction as being "storm-ready."

The National Weather Service's Chicago-area StormReady advisory board recently certified NIU as StormReady, a program that recognizes communities or counties with outstanding, established plans for severe weather preparedness. NIU is the nation's first university to earn the recognition.

10/21/02