It’s hurricane season (June 1st to November 30th) and September is Hurricane Preparedness Month. Although we are not typically at risk here in the Atlanta area, that doesn’t mean that we should negate the potential of an occurrence. Georgia is at risk of hurricanes that form in the southern Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Ahead of Hurricane Irma, as of September 6th, Governor Deal has declared a state of emergency for Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty, and McIntosh counties. Hurricanes can cause catastrophic damage even hundreds of miles inland, so every resident should understand their risks and plan what to do in the event of an evacuation. Therefore, we want to make sure that our subscribers are in-the-know. If disaster strikes, we want you to be able to answer these questions with a confident YES. Do you have everything you need to keep your family nourished and warm for a few days, if necessary? Do you know how to secure your home? Do you know where the evacuation routes are? Do you know where to find up-to-date emergency information?
We advise that you always listen to the radio and television for the latest information and instructions for your area. But first things first, you should know what the news means:
If a HURRICANE WATCH is issued in your area, this indicates the possibility that you could experience hurricane conditions within 36-48 hours. This WATCH should trigger your family's disaster plan. At this point, you should keep informed and be ready to act if a warning is issued.
If a HURRICANE WARNING is issued in your area, this indicates that sustained winds of at least 74 mph are expected within 24-36 hours. Once this WARNING has been issued, your family should be in the process of completing protective actions and deciding the safest location to be during the storm. You should leave the area if directed to do so by authorities.
BEFORE A HURRICANE:
- Have a disaster plan.
- Have a pet plan. Before a storm threatens, contact your veterinarian or local humane society for information on preparing your pets for an emergency.
- Board up windows.
- Bring in outdoor objects that could blow away.
- Make sure you know which county you live in.
- Know where all the evacuation routes are.
- Prepare a disaster supplies kit for your home and car. Have enough food and water for at least 3 days. Include a first aid kit, canned food and a can opener, bottled water, battery-operated radio, flashlight, protective clothing and written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas, and water.
- Have a NOAA weather radio handy with plenty of batteries, so you can listen to storm advisories.
- Have some cash handy. Following a hurricane, banks and ATMs may be temporarily closed.
- Make sure your car is filled with gasoline.
DURING A HURRICANE:
- Stay away from low-lying and flood prone areas.
- Always stay indoors during a hurricane, because strong winds will blow things around.
- Leave mobile homes and go to a shelter.
- If your home isn’t on higher ground, go to a shelter.
- If emergency managers say to evacuate, then do so immediately.
AFTER A HURRICANE:
- Stay indoors until it is safe to come out.
- Check for injured or trapped people, without putting yourself in danger.
- Watch out for flooding which can happen after a hurricane.
- Do not attempt to drive in flooding water.
- Stay away from standing water. It may be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
- Don’t drink tap water until officials say it’s safe to do so.
Important links to know:
Ready Georgia Emergency Management Agency Contacts
Georgia Emergency Management & Homeland Security Agency
Ready Georgia App for Weather Alerts
Public and Local Government Assistance
State of Georgia Official Website
Fulton County GA Government Departments and Agencies
Clayton County GA Government Departments
Douglas County GA Government Departments
The following links provide real-time feeds and notifications:
- GEMA/HS ArcGIS Online Portal
- Georgia GIS Clearinghouse
- GASDI-Georgia Spatial Data Infrastructure
- HAZUS
- HURREVAC
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center (MSC) Data for Declared Flood Disaster Areas
- The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC)
- Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)
- FEMA's Flood Map Service Center
- USGS Earthquake Hazards Program Real-time Feeds and Notifications
