Release from the Office of Governor Brian Kemp:
In recent weeks, our state has faced a seemingly endless onslaught of weather events. Following two consecutive weekends of winter weather that impacted almost all of our state, including significant ice and snow accumulation in our northernmost counties while our southern counties faced the potential for tornadic activity and drought conditions possibly leading to wildfires, I want to say thank you to all the heroes who have worked long hours to keep us safe throughout these ordeals. These were all-hands-on-deck events, with forecasts shifting up until the arrival of these weather systems. At one point, Georgia Forestry Commission had teams in north Georgia responding to the ice storm, in southwest Georgia conducting tornadic activity clean-up and assessment, and in southwest Georgia responding to wildfire reports. That speaks to the range of weather we faced, and why I’m proud of both the preparation and response from all Georgians in recent days.
Our law enforcement agencies always stand ready to answer the call to serve, and they have gone above and beyond in the face of these storms. At the state level, the Department of Public Safety (DPS), the Georgia National Guard (GNG), the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC), and the Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) all had teams working around the clock. Additionally, local law enforcement and first responders provided essential emergency services along with storm preparation. Whether assisting drivers stranded on highways, escorting road treatment crews, or sending teams to clear roads impacted by fallen trees, these agencies, at all levels, played a critical role in our response.
They did all this with the guidance of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS), which has done incredible work preparing Georgians and coordinating responses to severe weather. Director Joshua Lamb and his team always keep my office updated leading up to these events, as well as stakeholders across Georgia on what steps are needed to ensure the safety of our citizens. They also coordinated closely with local emergency management agencies, who are often pulling double duty as law enforcement, and who all do essential work keeping their communities safe. The level of preparedness and execution we have achieved is only possible thanks to these collaborative efforts.
I want to give a special thank you to the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and its teams who dedicated long hours and sleepless nights to preparing Georgia’s roads for two consecutive weekends of ice and snow. It is a monumental undertaking to apply either brine or salt to our roads and bridges, but it is essential so Georgians can have access to food, water, or shelter, and for emergency personnel to reach those in need. Thanks to GDOT teams, we were able to move resources where they were needed in the hardest hit areas – and get our state back on track.
Another critical component of that response were the linemen and leadership from Georgia Power, our EMCs, and MEAG utilities who braved ice, snow, and record cold temperatures to restore power as quickly as they could. That meant restoring heat, communication, and lighting Georgians needed as they rode out the storm. Our linemen have truly gone above and beyond in recent years, ensuring homes had power often while their own did not. We could not have made it through both this winter weather and many other severe weather events without them.
Finally, I want to extend a hearty thank you to you, the people of Georgia, for heeding our warnings and properly preparing yourselves. It could be easy to become fatigued by consecutive weekends hearing warnings of ice and snow, but Georgians held up their end. You didn’t panic buy, you stayed off the roads to allow crews to do the work they needed to, and you ultimately played a big part in helping us get through these storms. There will be more storms in the future, and I hope you remember your diligence from this time and continue to follow emergency guidance when those days come.
So, on behalf of the State of Georgia, thank you to every person who spent all night brining and salting our highways; who cleared fallen trees from roads and power lines in subzero temperatures; and who did their part to keep Georgians safe during this winter weather. We will always remain vigilant when storms like these threaten our state, and together, we will always put the safety of our people first.
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