Tornado Outdoor Warning Sirens

Severe weather in our area often includes the threat of tornadoes. The City's outdoor warning sirens are ready to warn the community when such a threat occurs.

The sirens are alarms sounded to alert residents and visitors who are outdoors that a tornado may be imminent. They are not designed to be heard within a home or other building, though if you live near one you may hear it while indoors. The sirens are sounded by personnel in the Decatur Police Communications center when the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning for the Decatur area or when a tornado is spotted by a member of the public safety staff. The sirens will sound for three to five minutes per issued warning.

Details about what to do when the sirens sound are found in the Decatur Emergency Management insert in the November edition of the Decatur Focus. If you have questions about the sirens, contact Police Lieutenant Barry Woodward at 404-373-6551.

Siren Locations

Decatur received a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to install a siren in each quadrant of the City.  The six sirens are located at Glennwood Elementary, Oakhurst Elementary, Winnona Park Elementary and the Westchester Elementary, the Police Department and Decatur Legacy Park. The City also has access to the siren at Agnes Scott College for use during tornado events.

Monthly System Testing

The City will conduct a test of the system at 5:00 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. During the test, the sirens will sound for approximately one minute. If the weather is inclement on the first Wednesday of the month, the test will be postponed until the following day, the first Thursday of the month.