Winter storm poses challenges for COVID-19 impacted law enforcement agencies

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. — Rural law enforcement agencies say the winter storm hitting Georgia Sunday comes at a challenging time. Many have been hard hit by resignations and illness related to COVID-19, and other factors.

“When you have sixteen employees short, and 15 out with COVID, it’s a drastic impact on our agency,” Lumpkin County Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said.

Jarrard said the staff shortage has affected response times. Some employees have covered extra shifts, even working weeks without a day off. But they are getting ready to respond to a winter storm. That includes prepping four wheel drive trucks with emergency road clearing kits.

“We have chain saws, we have gas oil mixtures, axes, tire chains. Things that we can use to clear roads for emergency services. The great thing about rural communities, people are ready to pull together too. They will go out and help clear roads with their farm tractors and their chain saws,” Jarrard said.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is keeping a close eye on the approaching winter storm, and beginning to draw up plans for keeping state roads and highways clear and safe.

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“We have 1.2 million gallons of brine, ready to go. We would get out about 24 hours ahead of the onset of the storm system,” said GDOT’s Natalie Dale.

If GDOT deems the storm has significant potential to heavily coat many roads and highways with snow and ice over a wide area, they may call up crews from south Georgia.

“We will make the decision on the early side of Friday, if we are bringing crews up, how many we need. All those plows are ready to go. We just need a driver to get in them and get moving,” Dale said.

Neighbors in Lumpkin County say they too are ready for whatever nature throws at them.

“We just have to hunker down, make sure we have plenty of food, water, stuff like that,” Becky Barrett said.

GDOT says one factor in their favor is that the storm is coming on the MLK holiday weekend, and traffic on roadways should be minimal.

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