By Nick Sellers | Staff Writer

MADISON – As the city of Madison adds housing units, thus adding residents, in the western part of the city in eastern Limestone County, Madison recently took a step forward in the process of serving those citizens, as it awarded a bid to McCord Communications to outfit the city with up to four, and at least two, new storm siren systems. All new siren locations will be in Limestone County.

“It was essential; we wanted to provide early warning systems for our citizens out there,” Madison Fire Chief Ralph Cobb said.

While Cobb said the city is waiting to hear back from state legislators and the city of Huntsville on funding help, he said the logistics of connecting the siren systems to the Limestone County system have been reason enough to begin steps in the process already.

Cobb said the Limestone County sirens run on solar power, while the Madison County sirens are powered by direct current.

“It would be like trying to put a Ford part on a Chevy,” Cobb said.

At the City Council meeting on June 22, the Council unanimously agreed to award the bid for McCord. The company submitted pricing for both 2,400-watt systems — $29,685 per unit – and 3,600-watt systems, which would run Madison and any other public entities $34,926. Cobb said at the Council meeting the money would come from the departmental budget.

At first plot, two of the siren sites would be situated in the city of Madison, Cobb said, while one is in Huntsville city limits and the other would be in unincorporated Limestone County.

“Everyone will benefit from the coverage,” he added.

In March, when the City Council voted to contribute a little over $80,000 to upgrade the storm sirens, District 4 City Councilman Mike Potter forecasted the notion of state legislators giving verbal agreements to help pay for the new siren locations.

Cobb said the hope is to have the new siren systems up and running by October or November.