COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. (WOWO): They way Columbia City responds to downtown emergency situations is changing.

Officials will unveil a downtown speaker system for emergency weather situations. The enhancements come after 75-mph Derecho winds ripped through the downtown in the summer of 2012 as the community hosted Old Settler's Days.

It's a joint project with local defense contractor Ultra Electronics.

Leaders say this will public safety workers will be able to easly inform and evacuate downtown with weather is threatening.