Sept. is National Preparedness Month
Press Release September 1, 2021
David Murphy
PRESS RELEASE
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. – We have seen over the last year that the norm can change in a moment. Therefore, it is important for us to take the time, to protect our lives and families, to prepare for unforeseen emergencies. White County Emergency Management Agency, along with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, are encouraging residents to prepare for disasters during National Preparedness Month in September.
This month-long initiative is intended to increase awareness and inspire Georgians to be prepared for any natural or man-made disaster. White County will join a nationwide coalition of thousands of private, public, and nonprofit organizations to motivate our citizens to take the necessary steps to ensure their homes, workplaces and communities are prepared for disasters and emergencies of all kinds.
“Over the years, we’ve seen how lives can be changed in an instant, so we need to prepare for all possibilities,” said David Murphy, White County Emergency Management Director. “During National Preparedness Month, we want our citizens to get a jump start on preparing all potential disasters, whether natural or man-made. We must prepare ourselves and families, so that our lives, livelihoods and communities can be protected.”
Each week, there will be topic or theme to focus on, so at the end of the month we should be well prepared. The topics are as follows:
• Make A Plan: Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during, and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control recommendations due to the Coronavirus.
• Build A Kit: Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for
everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each
person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly. Update your kits
and supplies based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control.
• Low-Cost, No-Cost Preparedness: Limit the impacts that disasters have on you and your family. Know the risk of disasters in your area. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards. Check your insurance coverage to make sure it is up to date.
• Teach Youth About Preparedness: Talk to your kids about preparing for
emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by
providing information about how they can get involved.
Residents can learn more tips on how to prepare and plan before a natural or man-made disaster by visiting gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia.
To learn about specific risks in your area, contact us at (706) 865-9500 or visit the website above.
About GEMA/HS
As part of the Office of the Governor, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency collaborates with local, state, and federal governments in partnership with private sector and non-governmental organizations to protect life and property against man-made and natural emergencies. GEMA/HS’s Ready Georgia website and preparedness campaign
provides Georgians with the knowledge needed to effectively prepare for disasters. Go to gema.georgia.gov/plan-prepare/ready-georgia for information on developing a custom emergency plan and Ready kit
Emergency Management conducts flood damage assessment
News, Press Release October 14, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — White County continues to assess damage to public infrastructure as a result of heavy rainfall and flooding over the weekend. White County Emergency Management damage assessment teams spent most of the day Monday evaluating damage to roadways, bridges and culverts. Nineteen separate assessments were completed.
Currently, the public works department is estimating the actual cost of repairs, and GEMA field personnel are assessing sites in various areas of White County. The attached map shows the locations of evaluated sites.
Some homes did receive flooding, especially along the river, this resulted in rescues of persons trapped within these short term rental locations. On James Drive, a family of six had to be rescued, 2 adult and 4 children as their cabin was surrounded by water. See attached picture. On Megan Drive, 2 adults were rescued. Both homes were flooded when water from the river came out of its banks.
Unofficial reports of rainfall amounts from 7.75” to 11.5” occurred within the area.
Two private lake dams were effected, Patton Lake and Mountain Lake located on the eastern side of White County. Both of these dams are being evaluated for repairs and there are no concerns with further erosion problems at this time. The Mountain Lake Dam must be repaired as soon as possible, as there are homes on the southeast side of the lake that cannot be accessed due to the damage. Georgia Safe Dams program has been notified of these two sites.
During the early morning hours on Sunday through Sunday afternoon extra personnel had to be called in to assist in the response efforts to these incidents.
Fetch Your News is a hyper local news outlet that covers Dawson, Lumpkin, White, Fannin, Gilmer, Pickens, Union, Towns and Murray counties as well as Cherokee County in N.C. FYN attracts 300,000+ page views per month, 3.5 million impressions per month and approximately 15,000 viewers per week on FYNTV.com and up to 60,000 Facebook page reach. If you would like to follow up-to-date local events in any of those counties, please visit us at FetchYourNews.com
White County tornado sheltering guidelines during COVID-19 pandemic
News April 10, 2020
PRESS RELEASE
White County Government
Office of Public Safety – Emergency Management Division
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
David Murphy, Director of Emergency Management
(706) 865-9500
Fri., April 10, 2020 3 p.m.
WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — White County Emergency Management will be monitoring and responding to potential severe weather outbreaks over Sunday Afternoon and into Monday. “While we continue to respond to and mitigate against the COVID-19 pandemic, we still respond to everyday emergencies and prepare for response to severe weather outbreaks.” Said, David Murphy, Director of Emergency Management.
David Murphy
While White County does not provide emergency tornado shelters, the county does want to share preparedness information developed by the American Meteorological Society. This information and guidance will help citizens to better prepare for severe weather. Also, more information can be found at the counties website at www.whitecounty.net
Here is the AMS statement:
A Statement of the American Meteorological Society
(Adopted by the AMS Council on 9 April 2020)
Call to Action
Do not let the virus prevent you from seeking refuge from a tornado. If a public tornado shelter is your best available refuge from severe weather, take steps to ensure you follow CDC guidelines for physical distancing and disease prevention.
Motivation
The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped nearly all aspects of everyday life as the world implements unprecedented strategies to reduce transmission of the virus. While communities continue to respond to the virus, the public must now identify how their severe weather refuges will be affected by the pandemic. We have already seen major tornado events in the midst of the pandemic, demonstrating the urgency for communities across the nation to prepare to simultaneously respond to the spread of the pandemic while dealing with the impacts of deadly severe weather.
Audience
The guidelines below are recommended by the American Meteorological Society for use by the media, emergency managers, weather forecasters, and the general public as they prepare for severe weather threats during a pandemic.
How to Prepare Now
Make your severe weather plan now and identify the best storm refuge available. Determine if your home can provide you with a good location to take refuge, such as a basement or an interior, windowless room. If you cannot take refuge in your home, discuss sheltering with neighbors, friends, or family. If your community has shelters, verify now which will be open and operating during the pandemic.
Use of Public Storm Shelters
Many communities have announced that they will not open public storm shelters during the pandemic. If you rely on public shelters, like schools, stores, or community facilities, determine if that shelter will be available during the COVID-19 pandemic. This information can be found through websites and official social media accounts or by contacting your local emergency management agency.
When to Seek Shelter
The American Meteorological Society recommends that you use multiple trusted sources to monitor the threat of approaching severe weather and be prepared to take refuge at home when a tornado warning is issued. If you need to travel to seek shelter, and the shelter you travel to is open, make sure that you complete your travel before a tornado warning is issued for your area.
Virus Transmission Precautions within Storm Shelters
It is recommended that you follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for COVID-19 transmission prevention, including physical distancing, and any additional guidelines set by your local emergency management agency.
For more guidelines on tornado preparedness, visit https://www.ready.gov/tornadoes.
About the American Meteorological Society The American Meteorological Society (AMS) advances the atmospheric and related sciences, technologies, applications, and services for the benefit of society. AMS is a scientific and professional society headquartered in Boston, with its Education and Policy Programs located in Washington, DC. For more information, visit https://www.ametsoc.org/.
For more information concerning this press release contact the White County Emergency Management Agency at 706-865-9500