COLUMBIA — The City of Columbia has completed installation and testing of a new citywide outdoor warning siren system, marking the most significant upgrade to the city's emergency alert infrastructure in recent memory. The sirens were successfully tested on Monday, May 11, according to the City of Columbia. The project was funded through a $420,000 Community Development Block Grant Imminent Threat Program and completed in partnership with the South Central Tennessee Development District.
The network consists of 12 strategically placed sirens. Three are electric units equipped with both audible tones and voice messaging capability — meaning emergency managers can broadcast spoken instructions during an event. The remaining nine are mechanical sirens designed for maximum reach and volume across open terrain. Together, they form a layered outdoor alerting system designed to blanket the city when a tornado warning is issued by the National Weather Service.
Mayor Chaz Molder said the project reflects the city's ongoing commitment to its residents. City Manager Tony Massey echoed that sentiment, noting the new system enhances the city's ability to deliver timely warnings. Siren locations include Columbia Fire Stations 3, 4, and 5; Fairview Park; Ridley Park; Reservoir Hill; the East and West Pump Stations; the Wastewater Treatment Plant; Golston Hill; East Burt; and the Honey Farms area near Drone Way — a spread designed to ensure no neighborhood is left without coverage.
Residents should understand one critical limitation: outdoor sirens are engineered to alert people who are outside. They may not be audible indoors, especially during a storm when windows are closed and wind is loud. The city strongly encourages residents to pair siren awareness with weather radios, wireless emergency alerts, and local media monitoring.
Columbia also operates a free emergency notification service called Hyper-Reach, available to all city residents. The system sends alerts directly to mobile devices or landlines and is integrated with the National Weather Service and IPAWS. Residents can sign up by calling or texting "Alert" to 931-286-7771, or by registering online at signup.hyper-reach.com. Future siren test dates will be announced in advance at ColumbiaT N.gov and on official city social media channels.