Emergency managers across Mississippi have been preparing for potential severe weather, and urging the public to do the same. With tornado watches and warnings issued in several areas, residents are being urged to have working NOAA radios handy, as well as making sure their smartphones are set to receive weather alerts. Emergency management director Mike Work says that the Rankin County safe room won't close until any severe weather alert has been lifted. County crews have been getting ready, gassing up chainsaws and checking that all heavy equipment is working properly to respond to remove debris from the roads. Despite this preparation, outdoor early storm sirens are still unreliable. Even when they do function properly, residents might not hear them overnight while they sleep, leaving them at risk as storms approach. Mississippi has already experienced some consequences of severe storms, as thousands are without power in Sharkey and Humphreys counties, while numbers are expected to increase as severe weather pushes through. The question remains: are Mississippians prepared for these severe storms?