When that severe weather hits, you want to be the first to know.
Alert systems are changing and evolving constantly.
Inside the Commerce City Emergency Operations Center, those in charge remain calm during the storm.
“24/7 we have someone manning the EOC or ready to respond," said Kirk Dominic, emergency manager for Commerce City.
Commerce City’s severe weather alert system is considered one of the most sophisticated in the region.
It has 17 towers across town that have sirens as well as verbal messaging systems that warn of either tornadoes or severe hail.
While other cities like Denver, Aurora, Boulder and Brighton have sirens, few have the verbal sophistication that Commerce City’s system has.
"It's a life-saving tool," said Dominic. “And these warnings are serious. You need to take shelter in an interior room with no windows, or a basement if you have one.”
The system can also be synced to your phone or mobile device through the app Code Red.