UPDATE: Columbia city council approves new warning siren in south Columbia
UPDATE: The Columbia city council approved plans for a new outdoor warning siren near Cosmo-Bethel Park.
ORIGINAL: The Columbia city council is scheduled to vote on adding an outdoor warning siren to south Columbia at its meeting on Monday night.
The Boone County Emergency Office wrote the Columbia Parks and Recreation department in September, saying the office identified an area lacking appropriate outdoor warning siren coverage.
The office wants to add a siren near Cosmo-Bethel at 4500 Bethel Street.
“Over the past several years, this area has experienced significant construction of high density housing that many times attracts residents with an active lifestyle who frequently enjoy outdoor recreation,” the letter said. “With the pairing of active outdoor residents and high-density housing, as well as a large city-owned park, the Cosmo-Bethel Park location is one of the highest priority locations for an outdoor warning siren in all of Boone County.”
According to the 2017 Boone County Emergency Management Plan, there are 55 outdoor warning sirens within city limits.