MT. VERNON — It is severe weather season across the Midwest, and Southern Illinois will receive its fair share of wild weather. Mt. Vernon’s Fire Chief Kevin Sargent is reminding residents the importance of taking every severe weather warning seriously.

Sargent talks about the policies for sounding the tornado sirens in Mt. Vernon and the surrounding area.

Sargent understands the tornado siren can become less effective when it is used often and a significant storm doesn’t hit. But he says he will always use an abundance of caution to possibly save lives, and you never know when the next bad storm is going to hit.