A new law is about to change how warehouses across Illinois prepare for tornadoes.
After a string of deadly tornadoes—including the EF3 that struck Amazon’s Edwardsville facility in 2021 and a violent EF4 that tore through Marion in May 2025—Illinois lawmakers have passed the Warehouse Tornado Preparedness Act (HB 2987).
The message is clear: warehouse operators need to plan ahead, protect their people, and prove it on paper. The bill passed on May 31, 2025, and once signed into law, many of its requirements kick in immediately.
If you operate a warehouse or distribution facility in Illinois, here’s all you need to know, and how Perry Weather helps you meet the new standards quickly and confidently.
What’s Changing for Illinois Warehouses?
New legislation (HB 2987) is raising the bar on Illinois’ tornado readiness across. Here’s what operators need to prepare for:
1. Tornado Safety Plans Are Now Mandatory
- Every warehouse must have a written, site-specific tornado plan.
- Existing facilities have 120 days to file once the bill is signed.
- New facilities: tornado safety plans must be filed 7 days from the start of operations.
- Plans must be updated annually and filed with local emergency management officials.
2. New Construction Must Meet Tornado-Resistant Design and Structural Safety Standards
- New warehouses must meet tornado-resistant building performance standards or designate shelter areas using the FEMA P‑431 Best Available Refuge Area (BARA) checklist.
3. Inspector Credentials Are Tightening
- Starting January 1, 2027, all local building inspectors must be ICC-certified to review and approve code compliance.
Key Illinois Tornado Safety Law Deadlines
| What’s Required | When |
|---|---|
| Safety plan filed (existing sites) | Within 120 days |
| Safety plan filed (new sites) | Within 7 days of opening |
| Annual plan review and re-filing | Every 12 months |
| ICC-certified building inspectors required | January 1, 2027 |
Why the Illinois Tornado Law Matters Now
- Six workers were killed in the Amazon Edwardsville collapse (2021).
- A violent EF4 struck Marion in May 2025, injuring at least seven.
- Lawmakers were forced to shelter under the Capitol during a tornado warning while debating the bill.
- Illinois ranks #4 nationally in tornadoes per square mile.
This law is designed to close the gaps—and make tornado safety non-negotiable.
Who’s Affected by the Warehouse Safety Law?
If you operate a warehouse, distribution center, e-commerce fulfillment site, or parcel hub in Illinois—you’re covered. The law applies to:
- Warehousing and logistics operations
- Third-party fulfillment centers
- Courier, parcel, and delivery hubs
What Your Tornado Safety Plan Needs to Cover
The law is very clear about what must be included. At minimum, your plan needs:
- Shelter maps and floor plans (highlighting exits and refuge areas)
- Step-by-step actions for tornado watches, warnings, and emergencies
- Refuge area documentation (including FEMA’s BARA checklist if applicable)
- Emergency equipment list and locations
- Alerting protocols (NOAA radio + your own notification systems)
- Training schedules and drill documentation
- Proof of coordination with local fire departments and emergency managers
New builds need more than plans
If you’re opening a new facility or renovating an existing one:
- You’ll need to show the building meets life-safety performance levels for tornadoes, or
- Use FEMA’s P‑431 + BARA checklist to select and document refuge areas.
Either way, plans, signage, and documentation must be in place and visible.
How Perry Weather Helps Warehouse Safety
When tornado safety becomes law, you need tools that make compliance easy, fast, and reliable.
Perry Weather helps warehouse teams:
- Stay alert with targeted tornado warnings
- Act faster with real-time storm and lightning tracking
- Communicate clearly with custom alert instructions tied to your policies
- Coordinate better with emergency teams through automated alert sharing
- Get expert guidance on aligning alert workflows with HB 2987
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
Get alerts people actually see and act on
Perry Weather delivers precise polygon-based weather warnings, so your teams only get notified when they’re truly at risk.
Alerts go out over multiple channels—text, email, app, voice, outdoor warning system, strobe lights, desktop—to make sure no one misses a message. You can also link alerts to specific steps in your emergency plan, so staff know exactly what to do in the moment.
Give your team minutes, not seconds
We track real-time storm speed, lightning data, and movement to help your teams act earlier.
That extra time can mean the difference between chaos and control. It gives you a head start to pause operations, sweep floors, and guide people to safer areas.
Lean on us for implementation guidance
Our team helps you configure alerts and follow best practices aligned with Illinois law.
10 Key Steps to Optimize Warehouse Safety
- ✅ File your plan with local fire and emergency teams
- ✅ Assign a site lead for tornado safety
✅ Map floor plans and shelter areas
- ✅ Complete a BARA checklist with your engineer
- ✅ Draft a tornado plan using NWS terminology
- ✅ Set up alerting through Perry Weather and NOAA radio
- ✅ Load your staff contact groups
- ✅ Post shelter maps and QR codes
- ✅ Conduct a drill and log it
- ✅ Schedule your annual review—and track inspector deadlines
Get started with Perry Weather today
Perry Weather helps warehouse teams across the country simplify compliance, protect their people, and respond fast when weather turns. Need to meet Illinois’ new tornado requirements? We’ll help you stand up alerts, set up targeted alerts, communication workflows, and file your plan.
See how Perry Weather can help your team stay safe and on schedule—book a demo or get a 14-day free trial today.
