PREPARATIONS UNDERWAY FOR TROPICAL STORM HELENE

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According to the latest information from the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Helene is projected to intensify and could severely impact Thomasville by Thursday night. The storm is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane as it approaches the Florida coast.

Residents of Thomasville are strongly advised to take immediate safety precautions, complete all necessary preparations, and follow any posted warnings as the storm approaches. High winds and heavy rainfall are anticipated. Preparations should include:

  • Assess your property and be sure yard furniture, trash bins, yard toys and equipment are secured
  • Avoid performing any large pruning of shrubs and trees unless immediate disposal of waste material is possible
  • Be sure there is no other debris on your property that can float or be blown away, as these things can block the storm drains and prevent the flow of water through our community
  • Consider purchasing a NOAA Weather Radio
  • Monitor weather situations and be alert to changing conditions
  • Register your cell number with the City of Thomasville’s Tville TextAlert outage reporting system by calling (229) 227-7001

The City of Thomasville is in full storm preparation mode, actively monitoring Tropical Storm Helene and preparing for potential severe weather conditions.

“We began weather briefings with Thomas County’s Emergency Management Agency on Monday, and since then, the City has been reviewing our storm recovery plans and activating our response preparations,” said City Manager Chris White. “We have already secured mutual aid crews from Oklahoma and increased our electric contract crews to help manage anticipated electrical outages. We also have crews from other agencies on standby through Electric Cities of Georgia that we hope to have added to our response pending the final storm track.”

Ongoing storm prep by City staff includes:

  • Coordinating with Thomas County EMA and GEMA concerning storm information
  • Ensuring adequate personnel are on standby, and additional personnel are assigned to key City facilities in order to respond quickly to storm damage
  • Cleaning out catch basins, road culverts, and storm pipes of leaves, debris and anything that could clog inlets or culverts to ensure water flows properly throughout the City stormwater system
  • Ensuring all necessary small equipment and vehicles are inspected and fueled with an adequate fuel supply on hand
  • Verifying inventory of materials and supplies needed for restoration efforts
  • Fully charging all handheld radios, cell phones, and other electronic devices and ensuring all internal and external communications protocols are in place

In the event of outages, electric crews will work to bring customers back online as quickly as possible. “Strong winds exceeding 39 mph are not safe for our crews to be working on utility poles,” noted White. “Our crews will respond as quickly as possible, but their safety is our highest priority.”

Residents with medical conditions that require continuous electrical power should make arrangements now to relocate to a location that can provide uninterrupted power in the event of widespread outages. Based on expected severe conditions, all citizens should be prepared for the possibility of being without power for up to seven days and plan accordingly; however, residents using the City’s water supply do not need to stock up on bottled water, as those resources are essential for those relying on deep wells. The City of Thomasville’s water system is designed to remain operational during and after severe weather conditions, ensuring a reliable water supply.

Citizens using generators should also observe safety precautions. Generators should be placed in well-ventilated areas, away from doorways or windows that could allow carbon monoxide to come indoors. Generators should also be turned off and cooled down before refueling.

Because of expected weather conditions and potential ongoing clean-up activities, the City of Thomasville’s upcoming events, including Saturday’s Autumn Artisan Market and the Balfour Park Visioning Charrette, have been postponed.

The City of Thomasville will continue to monitor Helene’s track and post immediate updates as appropriate to social media and on the City’s website, Thomasville.org. Citizens should continue to monitor the latest forecast and local emergency management information through the following websites:

National Hurricane Center, www.nhc.noaa.gov

National Weather Service Tallahassee, www.weather.gov/tae/


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