MSU President Mark E. Keenum, left, signs an Emergency Preparedness Proclamation, as Oktibbeha County's Emergency Management Director Jim Britt looks on. September is National Preparedness Month, and America's PrepareAthon is set for Tuesday [Sept. 30]. America's PrepareAthon is an opportunity for individuals, organizations and communities to prepare for specific hazard response through drills, group discussions and exercises. Today, local emergency management personnel will briefly activate the warning sirens and send text alerts for a drill at 10 a.m. This is a call to action inviting everyone to take a moment to think about their action plan in the event of an emergency. For more about America's PrepareAthon, visit www.ready.gov. Additionally, an MSU CERT Preparathon and 5K Family Fun Run and Emergency Preparedness Fair is planned for Oct. 18. For more details, visit cert.msstate.edu/2014-preparathon.