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Staggered tornado siren testing scheduled for July and August

By Lindsay Romano Jun 30, 2025 | 6:30 PM

June 30, 2025 -The Macon County Emergency Management Agency will be conducting staggered testing of the Outdoor Warning System for July and August. This phased approach is designed to verify that county sirens are activating correctly within their designated quadrants. 

To minimize confusion caused by “bleed over” — where sirens from neighboring jurisdictions can be heard across boundaries — the City of Decatur’s siren system will be tested separately. This will help distinguish local activations from adjacent areas and provide clearer validation of siren functionality. 

All activations will be initiated from the Central Illinois Regional Dispatch Center (CIRDC). The testing will ensure both the primary and backup activation systems are functioning as intended. July’s tests will use the primary system, while August’s tests will rely on the backup system. 

Siren Testing Schedule: 

  • 10:00 AM – City of Decatur Sirens
  • 10:10 AM – Northeast Quadrant-Maroa, Argenta, Oreana, Forsyth
  • 10:15 AM – Southeast Quadrant-Mt Zion, Long Creek
  • 10:20 AM – Southwest Quadrant-Blue Mound, Macon, Elwin
  • 10:25 AM – Northwest Quadrant-Harristown, Niantic, Warrensburg, Decatur Township (Cathryn/Sunnyside)