Hurricane Helene: Updates

Scroll down for your county. This page will collect storm info, closings, preparation updates from Coastal Georgia counties due to Hurricane Helene. Please send any questions or info to staff@thecurrentga.org .

To check power outages:

• Georgia Power customers: https://outagemap.georgiapower.com/
• Georgia EMC customers: https://georgiaemc.com/page/outages

Georgia Southern has announced all its campuses are closed and classes are canceled through 10/1 . Dining reopens 9/29. More info: www.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/alert

Glynn County/Brunswick/St. Simons

Friday, Sept 27, 7:53 am: As of 5am Friday, electricity is out for nearly 80% of all county customers. At the same time, Brunswick and Glynn County Public Works crews are working more than a hundred scenes with downed trees, many of those trees on power lines. This combination means hazardous road conditions throughout and citizens are strongly encouraged to stay off the roads.

Furthermore, due to diminishing winds, all first responder agencies in Glynn County — police, fire, and public works— have returned to full response status. However, due to the high number of calls, public safety will be forces to prioritize calls during the coming hours.

Any person seeing downed utility lines or a downed tree is asked to report the damage by calling (912) 554-7111

Thursday, Sept. 26, 4:42 p.m.

The College of Coastal Georgia will continue reduced operations at both the Brunswick campus and Camden Center for Friday, September 27. Campus operations will resume as normal on Saturday, September 28, and classes will resume on Monday, September 30.

Thursday, Sept 26, 11:07 am:

Expect strong winds, scattered tornadoes, flash flooding and hazardous marine conditions through Friday morning. Wind damage, including downed trees and power outages, is likely.

Wind Threat: Tropical storm force winds are expected to reach 20-30mph with gusts up to 45mph this afternoon, and then increase to 30-40mph with gusts up to 60mph later in the evening.
Storm Surge: Water levels could rise up to 4 feet above ground level in flood-prone areas of Glynn County.
Flooding Risk: Glynn County is at risk for localized flooding, with rainfall between 2-4 inches. Tidal flooding, especially during high tide, may affect low-lying areas.

• Glynn County schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26, with classes resuming on Friday, Sept. 27.
• Glynn County Parks & Recreation is canceling all Thursday recreation and sports activities. City of Brunswick recreation activities are also canceled on Thursday and will resume on Monday.
• Both branches of Glynn County Library will be closed on Thursday, reopening on Friday at 11 am.
• Republic Services Friday garbage pickup for Sea Island is delayed until Saturday. All other routes in Brunswick and in Glynn County are on their regular schedule.
• County and City offices will remain open on Thursday and Friday, unless conditions deteriorate.
• Brunswick’s Senior Center will be closed on Thursday due to transportation services being suspended; services may resume on Friday pending availability of transportation being provided by the Coastal Regional Commission.

All citizens are encouraged to check their home emergency preparedness kits and to download the free CodeRed app for up-to-the-minute advisories and warnings. CodeRed is available on the Glynn County EMA Facebook page.

The College of Coastal Georgia will shift all classes online Thursday, September 26. The College will have reduced operations for faculty and staff.

Students, faculty, and staff will be notified of any updates through the website, social media, emails, and text messages. Please visit www.ccga.edu for the latest information.

Chatham County/Savannah

Saturday, Sept. 28, 1:55 p.m.:

Savannah statistics:

• There are an estimated 94,460 power outages remaining affecting 59% of the community. The City is working directly with Georgia Power to remove downed trees, limbs, and debris from public right of ways and restore power as soon as possible. If a downed power line is encountered, do not approach it. Call 911 to report it or contact Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938 to file a report.
• City crews completed assessment of damage in 41 neighborhoods Friday and plan to assess damage in an additional 60 neighborhoods Saturday.
• Saturday morning assessments noted 32 blocked, impassible or traffic impacted roads in the City. While some traffic signals have been restored, 130 of the 280 City-operated traffic signals are without power as of Saturday morning. That number does not include County or GDOT operated signals. Four City signals are in flash mode and four are operating under generator power. City crews are working to restore all signals to full operation. Drivers are reminded that all non-operating stoplights should be treated as an all-way stop. When driving, residents are encouraged to exercise extreme caution, be patient, and stay alert.
• Savannah Police Department received 898 calls for service on Sept. 27. Savannah Fire Department received 476 calls and the 311 Action Center received 275 calls.
• Service requests can still be submitted to 311 online at //savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.
• The Savannah Sanitation Department continues to operate regular yard waste pickup services and are beginning debris removal operations. Due to the large volume of debris, removal operations are expected to continue through the weekend into next week. Residents who wish to dispose of debris themselves may bring it to the convenience stations at Dean Forest Landfill or Bacon Park Transfer Station which are operating on regular hours.
• Savannah Water Resources reports no major issues with the City’s drinking water supply system. The sewage system continues to operate under a mix of generator power and grid power. No major issues have been reported.
• For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and visit //savannahga.gov/stormhelene.

Saturday, Sept. 28, 3:17 p.m.:

Hurricane Helene Drive Thru Mobile Food Pantry at Memorial Stadium.

Items provided: ice, food boxes, water  2 – 4 p.m.  Enter off Skidaway Road onto Eisenberg Drive by the Alee Temple to get in line.

Sunday: Ice will be available tomorrow at Memorial Stadium and L. Scott Stell Park from 9am-7pm. (graphic provided)

Charging and Cooling available at the following locations:

• The Empower Center – 4704 Augusta Avenue, Garden City, GA – Saturday, now until 7 p.m.

• Compassion Christian Church – 50 Al Henderson Blvd., Savannah, GA – Saturday, Noon – 5 p.m.

• Tompkins Regional Center – 2333 Ogeechee Road, Savannah – Saturday 4-7 p.m.

• Mighty 8th Air Museum – 175 Bourne Ave., Savannah – Saturday, 4-7 p.m.

• Life Bridge Ministry – 8511 Waters Ave, Savannah, GA – Saturday 4-7 p.m.

Charging, Cooling, and a Meal available at the following location:

• Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship – 425 W. Montgomery Cross Road, Savannah, Saturday, 4-7 p.m. Kingdom Life has purchased meals from a food truck and will be offering them while supplies last.

Charging, Cooling, and a shower available at the following location:

• Tybee Island YMCA – 204 Fifth Street, Tybee Island, GA – Saturday, now – 7 p.m.

From Savannah-Chatham public schools

SCCPSS maintenance crews and Campus Police began assessing the condition of our facilities late this morning, as soon as it was safe to do so.  As of this afternoon, we still have a large number of schools without power and connectivity, as well as concerns about trees down on roadways throughout the area or laying across power lines.

At this time, we are not prepared to make a decision on school operations for Monday, Sept. 30. We will continue to assess facilities throughout the weekend and will monitor Georgia Power for updates regarding power restoration. Families will receive an update no later than 6 p.m. on Sunday regarding operational readiness for Monday.

From Chatham County as of 3 p.m. Friday:

Throughout the day Friday, Chatham County’s critical workforce has been operating at full capacity as recovery efforts continue in the wake of Hurricane Helene.

The County’s Public Works Department has been clearing roadways across Chatham County from trees and debris. Bulk pickup and yard waste remained on schedule. Residents are asked to place debris at the edge of the roadway, away from mailboxes, fire hydrants, meter readers, and other obstacles to simplify this process.

Chatham County emphasizes safety as residents begin debris cleanup.

As crews work to restore traffic signals in Chatham County, residents are asked to treat broken traffic lights as all-way stops.

CEMA reported six tornado warnings over Thursday night. No major rescue operations have been conducted by the County, and two injuries have been reported due to the storm. No storm-related fatalities have been reported.

An AT&T network outage is preventing 67,000 users in Chatham County from accessing 911 via voice call. Chatham County E-911 reports that text messages to 911 are still functioning properly, even for AT&T users.

Chatham County statistics as of 3 p.m. Friday

Stats subject to change with new information

• Of the 23,954 structures assessed by Chatham County, 8 were entirely destroyed.
• As of 3 p.m. Friday, 110,185 people in Chatham County were without power.
• 336 roads have been closed since Helene passed through. Around 240 road sections remain closed.
• 177 power lines were downed
• 304 trees reported down, including 47 on power lines.

From City of Savannah: As of Friday evening, City services have been impacted on Friday. Essential emergency services including public safety, water and sewer, stormwater, park and tree, and traffic engineering are responding at full capacity.

Early assessments by the City on Friday indicate 42 impassable roads city-wide and 66 downed trees. Georgia Power is reporting 117,965 outages impacting 72% of the community. Cellular service has also been impacted by power outages.

Savannah Police Department received 443 calls for service from the beginning of the event. Savannah Fire Department received 325 calls, and the 311 Action Center received 253 calls. SFD responded to a partial building collapse at 317 W. Broughton. The site has been secured pending a further engineering evaluation. SFD also responded to four structure fires. No major injuries were reported and all sites have been secured.

Water Resources is assessing 215 lift stations, 48 well houses, six water treatment and reclamation facilities, seven stormwater pump stations and drinking water lines around downed trees. No major issues with the City’s drinking water supply have been reported. All systems are operating as normal.

Drivers are reminded that all non-operating stop lights should be treated as an all-way stop. If travel is necessary, residents are encouraged to exercise caution, be patient, and stay alert.

The City’s Sanitation Department will resume yard waste collection on Saturday, allowing residents time to gather any storm-related yard debris and place at their usual collection points.

The City’s 311 phone service has been restored. Service requests can be submitted by calling 311 or online at Savannah’s.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.

The City is working with Georgia Power to removed downed trees, limbs, and debris from public right of ways so power can be resorted as soon as possible. If a downed power line is encountered, do not approach it. Call 911 to report it or contact Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938

Thursday, 2:30 p.m. :

• Watches
  • A tornado watch is in effect until 9 p.m. Thursday
  • Heightened risk of tornadoes Thursday evening into Friday morning

• Rainfall/Flooding: Potential for 2-4 inches of rain into Friday. County officials remind people operating vehicles not to drive into standing or rising water, as depths can be deceptive.

• Wind and Storm Surge: Helene will be a large storm with effects outside of the projected path. Most intense winds will be later Thursday night. Power outages are possible.
  
• Evacuations: There are currently no plans for evacuation at this time.
• Officials encourage residents to sign up for and monitor CEMA alerts at chathamemergency.org or text CEMA to 77295 to receive alerts

TRANSPORTATION:

• GDOT is not currently planning to close Talmadge unless something changes.
• Citizens can report road/bridge issues through 511.
• The Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport will remain operational; however, airlines may delay and/or cancel flights depending on weather conditions.
  Travelers are advised to keep in contact with the airline with whom they are flying.
• CAT : Plans to continue operations as long as safely possible, but will monitor weather and make decisions for service interruptions as necessitated by conditions

SCHOOLS:

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School system will have a half day on Thursday and E-learning at home on Friday.

COUNTY & MUNICIPALITIES:

• Chatham County offices will be open on Thursday.
• Bloomingdale: City Hall will be closing at 3:00 today 9/26 and will evaluate later this afternoon for tomorrow depending on impacts.
• Garden City: Currently normal operations but will evaluate later this afternoon depending on impacts.
• Pooler: Currently normal operations but will evaluate later this afternoon depending on impacts.
• Port Wentworth: City Hall will be closing at 3:00 today 9/26 and will reopen Monday, 9/30 depending on impacts.
• Thunderbolt: Currently normal operations but will evaluate later this afternoon depending on impacts.
• Tybee: Currently normal operations but will evaluate later this afternoon depending on impacts.
  
• CURFEW: There is no curfew currently.
  
• SANDBAGS: Across the street from the Chatham County Aquatic Center on Sallie Mood Drive. Must bring shovel, no pre-filled bags available. Available during daylight hours.
  • Garden City Sandbags: available at Garden City Hall, must bring shovel.
  • City of Savannah has a sandbag location near Enmarket Arena.
  • Pooler, Port Wentworth, and Tybee Island also have sandbag locations. Must be a resident of that jurisdiction, contact that jurisdiction for additional information.
  • Chatham County Sandbags: Across the street from the Aquatic Center, bring your own shovel.
    
• SHELTERS: No shelters open as of 1 p.m. Thursday

Wednesday, 7:17 p.m.:

• Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools will operate on an early release day on Thursday for students .

Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools will close in-person activities on Friday (9/27) and will shift to virtual learning and remote work as conditions allow.

Thursday 9/26 Early Dismissal Times

11:30 am –  High Schools (except Building Bridges), Mercer MS, Godley K-8, Building Bridges MS, Learning Academy @ Jenkins

11:40 am – Middle Schools(except Mercer) and Building Bridges HS, Wings Elementary

12:15 pm – Ellis, Garrison, Isle of Hope, Georgetown, Hesse, New Hampstead K-8, Learning Academy @ IOH, Pulaski K8, Bloomingdale

1:15 pm – Elementary Schools, Rice Creek

• All Chatham County offices will close at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024, and anticipate reopening at 9 a.m. Friday, September 27, 2024. This precautionary measure is being taken to ensure the safety of county employees and residents as the storm approaches.

Chatham County employees are advised to contact the Employee Disaster Line by 8 a.m. on Friday, September 27, 2024, for further instructions regarding work schedules and reporting requirements. Additional updates concerning County operations for Friday will be provided Friday morning.

The City of Savannah has declared a state of local emergency in Savannah, effective noon Wednesday.

The City will provide residents and businesses with sand and sandbags ahead of the forecasted rainfall. Sandbags will be limited to 10 bags per resident. Residents are asked to bring their own shovel to fill the bags.

• Sandbags will be available Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. while supplies last and weather allows in the parking lot next to the EnMarket Arena at 1100 W. Gwinnett St.

City crews have already begun preparation for the storm, clearing storm drains and catch basins and providing additional maintenance to storm water systems. The City does not anticipate any major interruptions to sanitation services at this time. Residents are encouraged to secure their refuse and recycling carts ahead of the storm.

Savannah residents and businesses are urged to review emergency plans and kits ahead of the arrival of inclement weather. Information on preparedness can be found at //savannahga.gov/stormhelene .

• Georgia Southern campuses to reduce operations at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26, due to Hurricane Helene. More info.: www.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/alert

Liberty County/Hinesville/Fort Stewart

Saturday, Sept. 28, 12:45 p.m.:

From Fort Stewart: The Directorate of Public Works and  electric partners are diligently working to restore power throughout the installation. An additional 25 contracted linemen from Canoochee EMC arrived at Fort Stewart to assist with restoration efforts last night. The linemen traveled from afar to support our contracted electrical partner, and their presence has not hindered the ongoing restoration work in the surrounding communities.

While power has been restored to some neighborhoods, individual homes may still be down due to blown transformers. If your neighborhood has power but your home does not, report your outage to the DPW non-emergency line at 571-802-0001 for assistance.

All access control points have returned to regular weekend hours of operation, with the exception of Rio gate on Hunter Army Airfield.

All MWR facilities and programs have been suspended for the weekend, except for the 24-hour fitness centers. Recreation activities, including hunting and fishing, are also on hold as teams work to clear debris and ensure safety across the installation.

For your safety, the Marne Designated Driver Program has been suspended for the weekend due to unsafe driving conditions. Remember to drink responsibly, avoid drinking and driving, and seek the help of a battle buddy if you need a safe ride.

Dining Facilities across both installations are operational with normal weekend hours for brunch and supper. The Provider DFAC will be open today from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and again from 5-6:30 p.m. Dependents are welcome to use the dining facility, with normal meal costs applying.

Thursday, Sept. 26, 8:58 p.m.: Liberty County is under a tornado warning until 9:45 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 26, 7:48 p.m.: Asked whether the county would provide shelter for its many residents who live in mobile homes, given Helene’s new Category 4 status, Liberty County EMA Director Bob Dodd said, “Not at this time.”

You can access a wealth of useful emergency information on Liberty County EMA’s homepage, https://www.libertycountyga.com/262/Emergency-Management-Resources .

Thursday, Sept. 26, 6:40 p.m.: Liberty County Chairman said in a video update that residents should be finalizing their storm preparations this evening.

Liberty County Emergency Management Agency Director Bob Dodd said, “So what do we need you to do as Liberty County? If you don’t have to be on the roads tonight, please stay inside and let the storm pass. At this time, there’s no curfew planned or expected. If you lose power, know that we are tracking it here at the Emergency Operations Center and we’ll be working on it to get it restored once it is [safe] to do so.”

If you use a generator , Dodd said, “please keep it outdoors where it has proper ventilation.” Call (912) 368-2202 with non-emergency questions.

Dodd reiterated that “Helene is a very large storm with significant impacts extending well to the east of where the storm tracks. There is a high risk of tornados associated with Helene. The risk for tornados will increase this evening and peak tonight and early Friday morning.” Seek shelter away from windows in an interior room “not prone to flooding,” Dodd said. “If driving, scan the roadside for quick shelter options.”

Dodd added that tropical gusts of 45 to 60 miles per hour are expected to increase across Liberty County and offshore this evening. Rainfall is now predicted betwen 1.5 and 4 inches, with higher amounts possible in low-lying areas, and 1 to 3 feet of storm surge along the coast in Liberty County.

Thursday, Sept, 26, 3:46 p.m.: County EMA Director Bob Dodd urges residents to make sure they are following the Liberty County, GA Facebook page — not the Liberty County, FL Facebook page. “We’re getting a lot of calls,” he said. Local government sites to follow include:

• Liberty County (GA) Emergency Management Agency https://www.facebook.com/libertycountyema
• Liberty County (GA) https://www.libertycountyga.com/
• Liberty County (GA) Sheriff’s Office https://www.facebook.com/libertycountysheriffsofficega
• City of Hinesville https://www.facebook.com/HinesvilleGA/
• City of Walthourville https://www.facebook.com/WeAreWalthourville
• City of Flemington https://www.facebook.com/CityofFlemingtonGA
• City of Midway https://www.facebook.com/MidwayGA
• Town of Allenhurst https://www.facebook.com/TownAllenhurstGa
• City of Gum Branch https://www.facebook.com/CityofGumBranchGeorgia

The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office also has an app you can download for Android , iPhone , and iPad .

Thursday, Sept, 26, 2:54 p.m.: Liberty County residents can call the Liberty County Emergency Management Agency at (912) 368-2202 with non-emergency questions about Hurricane Helene.

Liberty County Chairman Donald Lovette, Emergency Management Director Robert Dodd, and Hinesville City Manager Kenneth Howard took to Facebook Live Thursday morning with details of how the city and county are responding to the emergency:

Howard said Hinesville will not cut off late utilities until after the storm passes and that garbage pickup continues as usual.

Dodd warned of increasing tornado risks through Thursday afternoon into Friday morning, “with impacts well to the east of where the storm tracks,” with gusts of 40 to 60 miles per hour and 1.5 to 3-inch rainfall, “with isolated higher amounts especially west of the I-95 corridor.” Expect coastal storm surges of 1 to 3 feet along southeastern Georgia, he said.

Soon after the announcement, at 11:11 a.m., the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Liberty County through 11:45 a.m. Dodd told The Current the tornado did not touch the ground but stayed visible on radar.

At 11 a.m. Wednesday, Liberty County declared a State of Emergency. County offices will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27, and are expected to reopen on Monday, Sept. 30.

Local officials will hold a Facebook Live presentation at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26 on the Liberty County, Georgia Facebook page .

Liberty County Schools will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27. All after-school activities are also cancelled. “Based on the latest report from the National Weather Service, wind gusts are expected to exceed what we believe will be safe to transport our students,” LCSS spokeswoman Genese Baker wrote Wednesday. “The safety of our staff and students continues to be our top priority.”

If you are experiencing homelessness, Hinesville’s Homeless Prevention Program offers emergency shelter assistance 24 hours a day. During severe weather events, that assistance will stretch until the end of the event, when you must check out. Call (912) 271-9882 for help after hours. You will need to provide:

• Names of all adults 18 years or older
• Date of Birth for all adults 18 years or older
• Number of minors under 18 in the household
• Contact Information (phone and email)
• Status of photo ID for all adult household members

HPP staff will contact local partner hotels, then let you know where to go and give you reservation information. You can stay until the end of the severe weather event; once the City of Hinesville reopens for business, you have to check out. At that point, go to City Hall, 115 East M.L. King Jr. Drive, where officials will take down your demographic information and you can make a formal application for assistance.

The City of Walthourville will be closed Thursday, Sept. 26 . This includes City Hall, all administrative offices, and Public Works. Bulk trash collection also is suspended for Thursday, Sept 26. City officials say they will monitor the storm and decide whether offices will be closed on Friday, Sept. 27.

The City of Midway will be closed Thursday, Sept, 26 and Friday, Sept. 27 , and will reopen on Monday Sept. 30.

Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Air Base issued this directive Wednesday: “Due to Tropical Storm Helene, maximum telework is authorized for U.S. Army Garrison personnel and other tenant organizations. U.S. Army Garrison directorates will continue to provide customer service to our Soldiers and Families both Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27. Contact your chain of command or first-line supervisor for reporting information. DODEA schools are open Thursday, Sept. 26 and will recognize a student holiday, Friday, Sept. 27. Medical Treatment Facility personnel will stand by for reporting guidance. A decision is expected soon for MTF personnel. If you have a question regarding operating status of a facility tomorrow or Friday, it is recommended to call the facility beforehand.AAFES and DECA facilities will operate with normal hours Thursday, Sept. 26.”

However, Winn Army Community Hospital will be open as usual Thursday, Sept. 26. Staff with “individual situations due to Hurricane Helene that may affect your ability to report to work” should contact their supervisor.

Bryan County

Sept 28, 5:35 p.m. Bryan County updates:

Less than 10,000 Bryan County residents out of power, down from over 20,000

To check official outages , residents are directed to Georgia Power .

Price gouging protections remain in effect until Oct 02. The Price Gouging Statute remains in effect until 11:59 PM on 10/2. Report suspected price gouging to our Consumer Protection Division.

Call: 404-651-8600 or 1-800-869-1123 (toll-free in GA)

Visit: consumer.ga.gov

More information: https://t.co/lYE012UGlo

Debris pick up in unincorporated Bryan County will begin next week. Only vegetative debris will be picked up. Place your piles of debris away from mailboxes, electrical outlets, water hydrants, etc. so the contractor can pick it up.

Sept 27, 11:30 a.m. Bryan County updates:

At 10:30 a.m., Bryan County Board of Commissioners chairman Carter Infinger and Richmond Hill Mayor Russ Carpenter provided updates on the county social media pages

• Residents are asked to stay off the road, as crews are out to assess and clean up damage. Officers are posted at major intersections.
• At least 37 trees are down across the county
• Widespread power outages have made lights inoperable. If you encounter an intersection with a nonfunctioning traffic signal, treat it as a four-way stop.
• 86% of the county is experiencing a power outage

Roads being cleared: US 280, US 204, Bacontown Rd., Black Creek Church Rd., and working toward residential roads. In the south, crews have cleared GA 144, Kilkenny Rd., Belfast Keller Rd. (from GA 144 to I-95), Belle Island Rd. Crew are working towards residential streets.

Reporting damage: The Bryan County Board of Assessors are out conducting damage assessments following Helene in Richmond Hill. If you have structural damage to your home that needs to be assessed you can report it by completing the form at: http://bit.ly/HeleneDamagesCORH .

Non-emergency phone line: 912-756-3101

Sept. 26, 2 p.m. Richmond Hill updates:

• Richmond Hill city administrative offices will be closing 2:00 pm today . Critical staff and first responders will remain on-duty. Further closures will be announced on our website and official social media channels.
• The trail, playground and pavilion at J.F. Gregory Park and Sterling Creek Park will be closed at 12 pm Sept 26 . Both parks will be assessed for damages and repair (if needed) after the storm has passed.
• Richmond Hill residents are asked not to place yard debris out for collection. With strong wind gusts expected, yard debris can get blown into the storm drains and cause drainage issues.
• Sand and sandbags for residents at the former GDOT lot on Timber Trail, near Port Drive. Residents are expected to fill their own bags. Also, please remember to bring your own shovels.

As of Sept. 26, 2 p.m.: All Bryan County public schools will be closed on Friday, Sept 27. School offices will also be closed Friday.

All Bryan County schools will dismiss two hours early on Thursday, Sept 26. All community education classes, after school programs, and extracurricular activities have been canceled. Any Friday closures will be announced by 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept 26.

Sand and sandbags are at Fire Station #5 in North Bryan County and Henderson Park in South Bryan County.

Atlantic Waste Services announced that waste management will run as normal on Thursday, Sept. 26, with a delayed start time on Friday, Sept. 27.

Camden County/St. Mary’s

Saturday, 12:45 p.m.: From the county: In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene , Camden County remains under both local and state declarations of emergency as recovery efforts continue. While some roads are now open, residents are urged to limit travel to essential needs only. Roads may still be hazardous due to debris, inoperable traffic signals, downed powerlines, and ongoing detours. Please use extreme caution in necessary travel.

Residents are encouraged to report property damage online through the Citizen Damage Reporter . This reporting tool helps the county coordinate recovery efforts and ensure timely assistance, but is not affiliated with insurance claims.

Waste Services:

• MSW and C&D Landfills will be open with normal operating hours on Thursday, Sept 26, 2024, but will be closed on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. They are tentatively scheduled to reopen on Saturday, Sept 28, 2024, at 7:00 a.m. with extended operating hours through 3:00 p.m., subject to weather and conditions.
• Curbside Collections office for the county’s unincorporated area will be closed on Thursday, Sept 26, 2024, and Friday, Sept 27, 2024, and will reopen on Monday, Sept 30, 2024. Friday collections will be conducted on Saturday, Sept 28, 2024.
• Waste collection in the City of Kingsland, St. Marys, and Woodbine will take place on Thursday, Sept 26, 2024, and will pause on Friday, Sept 27, 2024. Friday’s collection will resume on Saturday, Sept 28, 2024.

Vulnerable Population Sheltering:

A shelter is available for residents in flood-prone areas who are considered vulnerable due to medical conditions, self-care needs, or age. Shelter details are as follows:

• Location: PSA Building, 1050 Wildcat Drive, Kingsland
• Opening Time: 6:00 PM on Wednesday, Sept 25, 2024
• Supplies: Cots, meals, basic medical supplies
• Who: Vulnerable populations include those with medical needs, self-care difficulties, elderly individuals, etc. The general public will only be accommodated if space is available after prioritizing the vulnerable population.
• What to Bring: Medications, personal identification, basic supplies for children and pets, blankets and only essential personal items.

McIntosh County

Saturday, Sept. 28, 12:45 p.m.: From the county: McIntosh County Officials will be making arrangements to pick up yard, tree, and limb debris following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

VEGETATION ONLY! Please place all debris on the county road right of way.

Please understand that this WILL NOT be an immediate pick up. This will take several weeks/months to fully service.McIntosh County has issued a shelter in place order until further notice. Hurricane Helene has left an abundance of trees and power lines across roads throughout the whole County.

Please stay home and do not ride around to observe storm damage as our public safety and public works officials are busy trying to get the roads passable.

To keep abreast of weather warnings and emergency information you may sign up for CODE RED at www.mcintoshema.com

Thursday, Sept. 26, 8:46 p.m.: McIntosh County is under a tornado warning until 9:15 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 26, 4:11 p.m.: The McIntosh County Emergency Management Agency’s webpage is http://www.mcintoshema.com/ . You can sign up for Code Red alerts that will automatically ring your phone in case of an emergency or evacuation order.

In a statement issued at 2:30 p.m., the McIntosh County EMA warned of “an aapproximately 70% chance of tropical storm force winds up to 58 mph (gust could be higher) and a 5% chance of strong tropical storm force winds greater than 58 mph.” Those tropical force winds are expected around 9 p.m. Thursday. Residents must secure all construction materials and loose outdoor items “immediately.”

While the agency does not expect hurricane force winds, McIntosh County residents should expect 2 to 4 inches of rain and storm surge of 1 to 3 feet in the estuaries: “Remember with a little more wobble to the east things could be worse.”

The McIntosh County EMA reminds residents that “emergency vehicles (including ambulances and fire trucks) may not respond when sustained wind speeds reach 35 miles per hour. We ask that when weather conditions begin to deteriorate everyone shelter in place and stay off of the roads.”

McIntosh County offices will be closed Friday, September 27 and are scheduled to reopen Monday, September 30.

According to McIntosh County Schools Superintendent Melissa Williams, students will take part in virtual learning on Thursday and Friday : “Teachers will send assignments/tasks home with students and/or share necessary materials and instructions through our digital platforms,” he wrote in a statement on Facebook.

Both the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club after-school programs are cancelled Thursday and Friday. “Our priority is the safety of our students, staff, and their families, and we want to ensure that learning continues uninterrupted during this time,” Williams wrote.