Special to the Herald
SPRINGFIELD – Effingham County is still dealing with flooding and other issues left by TS Debby; and Ernesto is churning in the Atlantic. However, most models have Ernesto making a turn and staying away from the US coast.
As you know, hurricane season lasts through Nov. 30; with August usually being one of the busiest month for storms, according to the National Weather Service.
Various Effingham County agencies prepare for unwelcome weather visitors well before they arrive.
Strategy sessions on ways to brace for the threats posed by Tropical Storm Debby and their soggy ramifications started several days before it splashed into Georgia on Aug. 5. The storm dropped up to 14 inches of rain on Effingham County over a three-day span, damaging numerous roads, forcing the delay to the start of the 2024-25 school year, and chasing people from their homes.
Effingham County doesn’t wait for storms to approach before it leaps into action. The Effingham County Emergency Management Agency (EEMA), led by Director Clint Hodges, conducts annual Pre-Hurricane meetings with its partners, including multiple county departments, municipal agencies, Effingham Health System and charitable organizations.
Earlier this year, NOAA predicted an 85 percent chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season. The range of storms expected is 17-25 with top sustained winds of at least 39 mph.
“The pre-planning is key,” Effingham County E-911 Director Jay Spinks said. “It always starts late in the spring and that’s what it’s really about. The county has always been a proponent of pre-planning and that sort of thing, and it really helps.
“There’s a lot to be said for the way everyone pulls together.”
County Manager Tim Callanan agrees that teamwork is crucial when it comes to handling emergencies.
“There are really three parts of any sort of disaster event,” he said. “Those are the preparation, the response and the recover. Every one of them is critical.
“Every person involved in the process needs to know their role.”
In addition to proper staffing levels for emergency agencies, Pre-Hurricane Meeting topics include:
· Having water and sewer operations crews ready to respond if/when the system is overwhelmed in an area
· Monitoring the water and sewer system to keep them working in storm conditions
· Clearing ditches and potential trouble spots in advance of and during a storm in order to help keep water flowing; and
· Plugging potholes and replacing culverts in the wake of a storm
On Aug. 10, Callan noted, “Most of the damage to the county (from Tropical Storm Debby) will occur post storm because of the inundation of floodwaters from the upper part of the state through the Ogeechee River.”
For the first time, Effingham County set up a phone number (912-754-8311) and email (StormHelp@effinghamcounty.org) for the public to use to pinpoint non-emergency storm issues. They remain operational.
Spinks dubbed both lines of communication “an unqualified success.” More than 50 email contacts were made during the storm. Phone totals are still being tabulated.
“That took a tremendous burden off our dispatchers,” he said.
Public Works is currently tabulating how many storm-related calls it has received.
Before, during and after the storm, EEMA kept the public up to date on shelter information, road closings, trash pickup interruptions, river levels, evacuation notices and more through social media posts.
“The most important thing we can do is get people the information they need,” Callanan said. “It takes a combination of administration, procurement, emergency management, public works, water and sewer, E-911, the Effingham County School District and our partners in the federal government and (the Georgia Department of Transportation) to get that done. Keeping regular communications going with our municipalities is vital, too.”