City upgrades Outdoor Warning Siren System and begins year-round testing

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The City of Grand Rapids has upgraded its outdoor warning siren system to improve how it alerts people to life‑threatening outdoor hazards. The City will begin year‑round testing at noon on the first Friday of each month starting Friday, Nov. 6. This replaces the April‑through‑October testing schedule used in previous years.

The upgraded system uses geofencing mapping technology that activates sirens within one mile of a threat area identified by the National Weather Service (NWS). This targeted approach helps the City warn the neighborhoods most at risk and reduces confusion by only activating in impacted areas. The system also includes full redundancy between the City and Kent County and uses multiple transmitters to ensure reliable operation.

The sirens may be activated for any outdoor threat that poses an immediate danger, such as tornadoes, destructive thunderstorms, or other fast‑moving hazards. Tests and real‑world activations sound a steady, high-pitched tone for three minutes. The sirens signal to those out-of-doors to find immediate shelter indoors. Once safely inside, one should check a weather app, City of Grand Rapids and Office of Emergency Management social media channels, television or radio for details on the threat and take appropriate action until the threat has passed.

“This upgrade significantly improves reliability of the outdoor warning sirens,” said Communications Manager Reed Wakeman. “This change improves the notification time and offers targeted alerts for those who could be in danger.”

Siren activation is managed by the Grand Rapids Emergency Communications Center. The system has full redundancy, allowing both Kent County and the City to perform activations of each other's sirens when needed. Multiple transmitters also strengthen the system and help maintain coverage during severe weather. Grand Rapids currently operates 27 outdoor warning sirens across the city.

“This upgrade gives us a more accurate and dependable system,” Emergency Management Administrator Benjamin Rance said. “As a warning moves or changes, the system can adjust which sirens are activated. This means residents miles away from a hazard may no longer hear repeated siren activations simply because they live within the same large activation zone. It helps us match alerts to real‑time conditions so people can act quickly and stay safe.”

Because outdoor warning sirens are not meant to be heard indoors, residents should use additional alert tools to stay informed. The City encourages everyone to sign up for Grand Rapids Emergency Alerts at:
https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/departments/emergency-management/register-for-grand-rapids-emergency-alerts/

For additional information about the City’s outdoor warning siren system, including how the system works, testing schedules, and frequently asked questions, visit the City’s Outdoor Warning Sirens webpage at https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/departments/emergency-management/outdoor-warning-sirens/.

For more information about different types of weather warnings and what they mean, visit the National Weather Service website.

###