NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WGNS) - Federal emergency officials are sending $10,613,308 to Tennessee to upgrade life-saving warning systems across Rutherford County and the entire state.
The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) secured the federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fiscal Year 2026 Next Generation Warning System Grant Program. The money funds Tennessee’s Integrated Warning Modernization Project, an initiative designed to deliver urgent emergency notifications when traditional cell towers, internet connections, and landlines fail or become overloaded.
For Middle Tennessee families, the investment means more reliable alerts during severe weather outbreaks, tornadic activity, wildfires, hazardous materials spills, and utility failures. Rutherford County was named as one of five key counties slated for immediate outdoor warning siren modernisation and expansion. Gibson, Putnam, Rhea, and Washington counties are also included in the siren improvements.
"These grants will help us invest in solutions that improve reliable access to life-saving information for Tennesseans, regardless of where they live or what communication systems are available to them," said TEMA Commissioner Patrick C. Sheehan. "This investment will make warning systems more resilient and robust by expanding redundancy, improving accessibility and strengthening partnerships with local governments, public television organizations and critical facilities across the state."
Beyond local siren upgrades, the statewide enterprise establishes secondary communication pathways that do not rely on local infrastructure. Key components of the multi-million dollar rollout include:
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A statewide broadcast relay and critical-facility datacasting network.
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A fiber-interconnected Emergency Alert System (EAS) linking seven transmitters across six public television stations.
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Approximately 4,500 alert receivers deployed to critical facilities, including local public safety agencies, emergency management offices, schools, hospitals, and utilities.
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11,137 Public Alert-certified NOAA Weather Radios.
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4,000 specialized strobe-light and pillow-shaker alert bundles designed for residents who need accessible warning technology.
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A multimodal rural alerting system in Washington County featuring digital signage, satellite nodes, and multilingual software.
TEMA officials will roll out the project over a three-year period beginning October 1st and running through September 30th, 2029. TEMA staff will coordinate directly with Rutherford County officials, local emergency agencies, and public television partners to handle planning, equipment procurement, installation, hands-on training, and system testing.
