ATLANTA — People have been piling into grocery stores to stock up on essentials, and top emergency management leaders are meeting in several counties.
All this just hours after Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for all 159 counties across the state until Thursday as winter weather approaches North Georgia.
Kemp is currently in Belgium on an economic mission. He held a briefing on the weather preparations on Thursday morning, and then he spoke one-on-one with Channel 2’s Richard Elliot.
He said GEMA is ready, the state is ready as it can be, and now he’s asking Georgians to get ready, too.
Kemp issued an emergency declaration on Thursday, getting resources up and running should they be needed. He said now it’s up to individual Georgians to get ready, too.
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“Just get some gas in your car. Make sure your electronic devices, cell phones, and other things are charged up. If you got battery packs, get them charged. Make sure you got some non-perishable food and some water and a way to stay warm if you lose power, and just be able to communicate and let people know that,” Kemp said.
Georgia Emergency Management Director Josh Lamb says GEMA’s special operations center will coordinate the response, dealing with everything from Forestry Commission chainsaw crews to Georgia Power and local EMCs.
He also says it’s critical that people stay off the roads before during and after the storm, not only for their own safety but so GDOT crews can clear the roads for emergency responders.
“When the storm hits, stay off the roads as much as possible. If travel is necessary, slow down and allow extra time. And be especially careful on bridges and overpasses, which freeze first,” Lamb said.
Lamb also warned people against putting gas generators indoors because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Kemp said it’s a good time to say a little prayer, but prepare now so those prayers get answered.
“Praying that it moves north and stays warm, but I don’t think it’s going to do that. So, we’ve got to be prepared,” Kemp said.
GEMA’s special operations center will open on Friday at 7 a.m.
An afternoon briefing is also expected later in the day.
GDOT said it will begin brining the roads at 12 a.m. on Saturday.
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