Boone County Office of Emergency Management
 

Outdoor Warning System

Outdoor Warning Sirens

Why use outdoor warning sirens?

Sirens are still the most effective method to warn the population at large in the shortest amount of time. People who may be outdoors at ball games, in their yard, or anywhere else where they are not in contact with the normal news media channels such as radio, TV or local public address systems.

How are they activated?

Outdoor Warning Siren

Radio control is the most popular method of activating sirens. To activate the siren system, the operator presses a button and a radio signal is transmitted. The signals are picked up by the receivers at the sirens. They decode the paging signals to determine what they are to do. A particular signal may instruct the sirens to give a weather warning call, while still another may cause the sirens to stop their sounding. With the new generation of communication signal processors, the variations are limitless.

Why are they called outdoor warning sirens?

The sirens are called outdoor warning sirens because their primary purpose is to alert people who are outside to severe weather, chemical, or other emergencies. While you may be able to hear the siren inside your house, this is not the primary function of the outdoor warning siren.

What should I do if I hear an outdoor warning siren?

If you hear an outdoor warning siren you should seek shelter inside immediately. Once inside, you should turn on a television or radio to find out further information. Local officials will be disseminating information about the emergency through these outlets.

Does Boone County issue an "all clear" notice from the outdoor warning sirens?

No. With the unpredictability of severe storms the outdoor warning sirens are intended to notify anyone outside to seek shelter indoors immediately. Once you are sheltering indoors, and connected to a media source providing up to date information, you may not hear the sirens any longer, thus it is important to seek further information elsewhere. Outdoor warning sirens are only intended to notify people outside of impending severe weather, not an all clear notice that the storm has passed.

When are the outdoor warning sirens tested?

The outdoor warning sirens are tested at noon on the first Wednesday of each month. In the event of threatening weather, the test may be cancelled. In addition, Boone County tests the outdoor warning sirens during Missouri's annual statewide tornado drill in March.

What is the range of the outdoor warning sirens?

The siren wail sound can be heard for an approximate distance of ½ mile. Sounds can travel different distances depending on weather and other atmospheric conditions, so please remember these distances are just estimates and that the primary function of the outdoor warning sirens is to warn people who are outside of emergencies.

Does Boone County participate in the Statewide Tornado Drill?

Yes. Every year the National Weather Service designates the date of Missouri's statewide tornado drill. The drill is generally held during the first two weeks of March. The National Weather Service usually sets the date for the drill by January each year. During the Statewide Tornado Drill, NOAA Weather Radios will alert, and citizens will hear the outdoor warning sirens sound. All citizens are encouraged to participate by practicing taking cover in their designated shelter. In the event of inclement weather, the drill will be rescheduled for a later date, usually within the same week.

The Statewide Tornado Drill is conducted in addition to the regularly scheduled outdoor warning sirens test each month.

Boone County Outdoor Warning System Map

You may view the map of the sirens or download the map in PDF format or download the map with census data in PDF format.

Boone County Outdoor Warning System Locations

  1. 1300 Woodrail Ave (near pool)
  2. 2500 S Old 63
  3. Chapel Hill Rd/Wallace St
  4. 3301 W Broadway
  5. 2205 N Stadium Blvd (near Cottle Dr)
  6. 4422 Sugar Grove Rd E (near Rolling Hills)
  7. 109 Lindell Dr
  8. W Rte K/ S Seminole Ct
  9. 3601 S Providence Road- City of Columbia Recycling Site
  10. 3301 New Haven Rd, New Haven Elementary
  11. 100 E Head St
  12. 2615 Shepard Blvd
  13. 1515 Ashley St
  14. Olivia Ray Dr/N Grace Ln
  15. 3511 Clark Ln
  16. 2201 Ballenger Ln (Aztec Blvd/Ballenger Ln)
  17. 3700 Woodland Dr (Blue Ridge Elementary)
  18. Greeley Dr/Brown Station Rd
  19. 4325 Chateau Rd
  20. Blue Ridge Rd/Range Line St (@ Northland Dr)
  21. 1316 Parkade Blvd (@ W Business Loop 70)
  22. E Walnut St/Divot Dr
  23. N Seventh St/E Ash St
  24. W Stadium Blvd/Forum Blvd (@ Dairy Queen)
  25. 5701 S Sinclair Rd
  26. Burnam Ave/Curtis Ave
  27. Proctor Dr/Creasy Springs Rd
  28. 2870 E Gans Rd (@ Bradington Dr)
  29. Bernadette Dr/Tiger Ln (NE corner)
  30. 5200 E Rabbit Run (@ E Cottage Ln)
  31. Mexico Gravel Rd/Benedict Ln
  32. S William St/Rollins St
  33. 415 W Smiley Ln (@ Chancellor Cir)
  34. Columbia Regional Airport (S Airport Dr)
  35. E Stadium Blvd/S College Ave
  36. E Cox St/S Pool St
  37. E Southampton Dr/John Garry Dr
  38. 1001 W Southampton Dr
  39. 2200 W Nifong Blvd (Millcreek Elementary School)
  40. Carter Ln/Campusview Dr
  41. Harrisburg City Park
  42. N Wade School Rd/W Trowbridge Rd
  43. Hwy HH/N North Browns Station Rd
  44. 5808 N. Tower Drive (near BCFPD Station #5)
  45. 5481 Hwy 763 (Water Tower)
  46. Lange Middle School (Oakland Gravel/Millay)
  47. 6300 East Karin Court
  48. Gaw St/Second St (Rocheport)
  49. 6405 W Hwy 40 (N of I70 @ exit 121)
  50. 1400 N Chapman Ln
  51. St. Charles Road and Remm Drive
  52. E Richland Rd/N Sunshine Dr
  53. N Doziers Station Rd/E Serenity Cir
  54. 806 Louisville Drive
  55. 980 S El Chaparral Ave (BCFD #12)
  56. Scott Blvd (SE corner of Longview Park)
  57. E Nifong Blvd (across from Nifong Park)
  58. 5301 Scott Blvd (water tower)
  59. 1641 W Rte K (Leatherwood Hills Little General)
  60. 5567 S Tom Bass Rd
  61. S Chimney Ridge Rd (end of road, on lake shore)
  62. 7650 S Hwy 163 (Pierpont store)
  63. E Johnson Ave/S Henry Clay Blvd
  64. 21495 S South Mount Pleasant Rd
  65. N Second St/E Main St
  66. 5450 N Rte Z (Two-Mile Prairie School)
  67. Katy Trail/W Sarr St
  68. Cosmo Park
  69. 5151 S Hwy 163 (Rock Bridge School)
  70. 324 E Hwy OO
  71. 14633 N Ricketts Rd
  72. 3900 Scott Blvd (@ Vawter School Rd, BCFD #14)
  73. 107 S Ogden St (@ W Davis St)
  74. 1729 Broadway W
  75. Battle High School
  76. 3203 Oak Lawn
  77. 1101 Parkridge Dr
  78. 599 W Wilson St
  79. Vandiver Dr/Nelwood Dr
  80. St. Charles Rd/Albany
  81. 8130 W Hwy 40 (Midway School Trails West)
  82. N Oakland Gravel Rd/E Oakland Church Rd
  83. 5550 Pergola Dr
  84. N Rangeline Rd/Columbus Ct
  85. 6800 W Gillespie Bridge Rd
  86. E Friendship Church Rd (Finger Lakes Campground)
  87. Rock Bridge State Park (upper park)
  88. American Setter Dr/English Setter Dr
  89. Route N & Bluebird Lane
  90. Old Hwy 63 & Dee Woods
  91. Hwy WW & Olivet
  92. Bentwood & Brushy Way
  93. Hwy VV & Starla
  94. Orear Road near Lisa Drive
  95. Easley River Road south of Cooper's Landing
  96. South Palis Nichols and Liberty Lane
  97. Baldridge Avenue near Hardwick Lane
  98. 6201 South Gans Creek Road
  99. 6401 South Sinclair Road
  100. 5801 S. Route K
  101. Cresskill Drive and South High Point Lane
  102. 3615 Southland Drive
  103. South Howard Orchard Road and Sedgewick Drive

Report Malfunctioning Sirens

Please submit an e-mail to Emergency Management with the following data:

  1. The location of siren;
  2. The nature of the malfunction (not sounding, not rotating, muted audio, won't shut down, etc.); and
  3. If you wish to be contacted by a member of the Office of Emergency Management Staff.