Governor extends emergency declaration deadline for Dougherty, Mitchell counties

ALBANY — With the midnight expiration of Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal’s declaration of emergency in eight Southwest Georgia counties approaching, officials in Dougherty and Mitchell County got word Wednesday that the governor had granted another seven-day extension.

The declaration will continue in Dougherty and Mitchell counties until 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 25, but was to have expired in Baker, Terrell, Worth, Turner, Calhoun, Early and Miller counties at midnight Wednesday.

Deal said in the order, which he signed at 2:30 p.m., that assessments from state and local emergency management officials detailed the need for further assistance in Dougherty and Mitchell counties, noting first responders may have limited access to fire hydrants and that some residents and businesses were still restricted from access to essential public services by downed trees and debris.

Word came as local officials were continuing storm recovery efforts with an eye on potential bad weather arriving over the weekend.

The National Weather Service has indicated a cold front heading toward the area could bring with it heavy weekend rains and possible severe weather. Dougherty County Emergency Management Agency Director Rowe said city and county employees are preparing for the weather system.

“Our Utilities department personnel are getting the ‘leaners’ and ‘hangers’ — trees that are leaning or limbs that are hanging from other tree limbs right now,” the EMA chief said. “We want to eliminate as much as we can the things that can cause damage to our roadways, to public safety or to utility infrastructure.

“We’re also checking on our stormwater ponds, getting pumps to locations that are prone to flooding, and getting our manual pumps ready if we have to use them.”

While was a small chance of rain today, the National Weather Service forecast for Albany had rain chances Thursday night at 60 percent, dropping to 40 percent Friday and then increasing to 70 percent Saturday and Sunday, when a second, stronger cold front is expected to pass through.

NWS forecasters say that system is likely bring severe weather with it and may produce hail on Saturday. The forecast discussion Wednesday said there “appears to be sufficient instability and shear for a threat of severe storms on Saturday night and Sunday. Given the overall strength of the synoptic scale system, some significant severe storms, including the threat of some tornadoes, cannot be ruled out.”

Forecasters earlier this week said the weekend system is “similar” to the one that produced the widespread damage Jan. 2.

Rowe said debris removal and power restoration continued Wednesday in the aftermath of the Jan. 2 storm that left behind a trail of downed trees and power lines. He noted that resources being used in ongoing storm recovery efforts include 23 crews utilizing 54 trucks and trailers, 29 loaders/bobcats, five knuckle booms, two bulldozers, three excavators and two sweepers, all involved in the process of debris removal.

Many of those assets have been provided by state agencies, so the governor’s extension allows those assets to remain in the area.