obviously with traffic control,
but also helping the Sheriff ans
team be able to cover their cal.
We've had troopers on the ground to help
with potential looting and other things
that happened in these type of events.
The Department of Transportatio,
Department of Natural Resources and the
Georgia Forestry Commission have been
helping their chainsaw strike force teams,
a lot of other resources on the ground.
We had a lot of roads we had to clear.
And they've been doing a great .
Want to thank them for that.
I want to thank the Army Corps engineers.
I know their work is not over managing
lake levels obviously at West Pt
and other local flooding issues
that we are continuing to monit.
I want to thank just all the local and
state elected officials that are here.
Obviously the legislators were in the second
to date last day of the legislative session.
So the local delegation
could not be with us today.
Former representative Randy Nixs
here representing them and I certainly
appreciate his leadership and friendship.
I spoke to Congressman Ferguson
earlier today just checking on .
I know he is toward the damage and had to
get back to Washington for for votes tonight,
but we're going to keep him ands
team apprised of our efforts and I know
that he's been in communicationh
the local elected officials as .
I want to thank the Red Cross ad
a lot of other folks that are he
helping us on the ground for thr
good humanitarian work.
The Georgia Baptist Convention
has folks here.
Some local pastors are here.
I've been texting with the chai.
We have two of the Commissioners
that are here and obviously a lt
of other local elected official.
I cannot thank the police force
and the sheriff and the Sheriffs
Office for what they have been g
to respond and we appreciate th.
I'm probably telling you things
that you already know,
but 3rd 25 to 30 homes completely destroyed,
approximately 100 others that we
damaged in this situation is continuing
to evolve because of the flooding that
we're dealing with from heavy rains today,
and director stones will talk me
about the weather that's comingn
later this afternoon or this evening.
We're going to continue working to clear
roads and then we'll come back o
more assessments and more clean.
But our main priority is obviouy
clearing roads and getting routs
cleared for the power companies.
Hwy.
29 has been closed to non-emergy
vehicles and obviously we had a
tremendous amount of rain here
since Sunday up to 12 inches.
Director Stallings is going to give you
an update on the West Point Lake release.
Thankfully,
which is a miracle when I thinku
view the damage that's all aroud
us in the location we are that e
have not had a fatality.
We thank the good Lord for that.
We do have 5 individuals that
are dealing with non
life threatening injuries.
Obviously schools in Pike,
Merriweather Troop and Spalding
County were closed today.
We'll continue to work with the
school systems and monitor that.
I just wanted to give you a quick update.
Because of the weather,
we couldn't get to Baldwin Counn
Milledgeville earlier this morn.
We're going to be touring that site tomorrow.
There's been a tremendous amount
of cleanup over there already,
so they're doing doing great over there.
We did have some damage to the
roof of a hospital and to the
emergency operations center,
and there's further damage
assessments that are underway.
Underway, thankfully,
no reported injuries or fatalit.
In that part of the state.
So we're continuing to be thankful for that.
In Spalding County due to heavy rainfall,
we're having issues with the
temporary dam as of this mornin.
But again,
the Army Corps,
engineers as well as our state s
are immediately responding to that and
director Stallings again will update that.
In Merriweather County,
we did have a few homes damaged,
but obviously nothing like here.
From a state perspective,
we took a lot of action very quickly.
We did the state of emergency wn
hours of the tornado touching d.
I know that's very helpful for e
locals and local law enforcemen.
We have made all necessary state
resources available to resist
with the response and recovery
and we'll continue to have Jima,
Department of Public Safety,
Georgia State Troopers,
Department of Transportation.
Natural Resources game wardens o
are also here with us today anda
lot of other folks on the groun,
forestry and others,
and we just want people to reale
we're going to be here to help e
locals and we just cannot thanku
enough for what you're doing with that,
I'm going to turn it over
to Director Stallings.
Again,
I just want to remind people toe
patient #1. There's a lot of da.
Thankfully it's contained
in a few small areas,
so we're working very quickly.
But also be weather aware tonigt
and just continue to be very
cautious around these areas.
So we don't have further injuries from
you know any kind of construction debris,
trees that that may be leaning
not secured or falling yet and
other things of that nature.
So with that I'll turn it over
Director Stalin's then we'll tae
some questions and obviously we
have a lot of local officials tt
are with here with us that can
help answer questions as well.
Good afternoon. First and
foremost, I do want to thank the
governor and First lady
for their quick response.
It's their leadership that allowed us
to have that state of emergency put in
place to allow us to do what we.
Witnessing the devastation that
occurred over these storms is a
reminder of just the power and
unpredictability of the weatherd
how important it is to have a pn
in place for you and your loveds
in the immediate aftermath of te
tornado in Troop County and the.
The severe weather across West Georgia
we began working with our local
officials to ensure public safety and
coordinated response to all our resources.
The response to Sunday's weather event
though was extremely complicated due to
the extraordinary rainfall that followed.
We received over the last 24
hours inches in the teens of ran
in the West Georgia area.
Through the rains we're moving .
We continue to work with
those that were impacted,
getting in resources as quickly as possible.
Currently, we have more than 40 state
law enforcement officers in thea
working and I can't thank our partners
with the Georgia Forestry Commission,
the Department of Transportatio,
the Department of Public Safety,
the Department of Natural
Resources is enough,
and those Commissioners and
their leadership for answering
the call as quickly as possible.
Initial damage assessments from
the Tornadoes are underway.
Our partners with the National
Weather Service are here and the
began those initial assessments.
And so those reports will be cog
out when they have those comple.
Also, our team will begin
preliminary damage assessments.
And so we'll be looking into all
the resources that it took to
respond to an incident like thi.
The Red Cross currently has two
shelters that are open 1 here in
Troop County at Point University
Gym on on Avenue D in West Poin.
And the second in Baldwin County
at New Beginnings on Southside
Drive in Milledgeville.
For those that are displaced,
we're asking the public to stay
clear of the damaged areas and
roadways in order for us to res.
As the governor said,
patience is going to be the watchword.
As you've seen this devastation.
I know folks want to get back to
their homes and find their items that
they've lost and and see the destruction.
But at the same time with
these power companies out here,
there's a lot of live wires.
There are gas mains that still
need to be protected.
There are a lot of things,
so they're going to be a lot
of law enforcement.
If you do have to come back to the area,
please if you do have an ID with
you so that we can confirm that
this is where you reside.
We don't want just anyone
roaming through the area.
We care about your
stuff like you do.
Additionally, there are roadways
and bridges that are flooded or
currently near flooding conditi.
So if you see a flooded roadway,
please turn around.
Don't try to cross it.
Don't attempt to cross the roady
where there's running water.
2 feet of water can sweep
away a full size SUV,
so make sure you are wise to th.
And lastly,
please continue to monitor your local
radio stations and your trusted
news sources for following upda.
As the governor mentioned,
the Army Corps of Engineer has
opened all six gates at West
Point to try to control the wat.
We do have a rising level from e
inundation from the rain into the spillways.
And then as he mentioned the thm
that was breached and it wasn't,
there was some confusion with
the dam felling or water going
over the top of a temporary dam.
And so in Spalding County at the
reservoir there is a temporary m
for some remodeling that was beg
done on the existing dam and sot
dam did have some water go over the top.
It is not failed,
but there is some flooding in that area.
But as we mentioned,
there's a lot of roadways
that are underwater.
If you see swift moving
water up around bridges,
don't take your chances until
it's been inspected by engineer.
We're not going to be crossing .
And I'll highlight one further g
before I give it back to the governor
is that if a bridge is closed,
it can't be open until it's been inspected.
Give us patience,
it takes a lot of time there,
a lot more bridges and we have inspectors.
And so as we get those teams out
there to do those inspections.
We want you to be able to get bk
into your homes as quickly as possible,
but we want you to do it as safy
as possible.
With that,
I'll turn it back over to the governor
and then we'll take questions from there.
Thank you,
Sir.
Well, thanks, Chris. In closing,
just on behalf of Marty and the family,
we are just so thankful that
there was no loss of life here.
We're very lucky when you look t
this devastation and certainly t
to offer our thoughts and prayes
to the people of Mississippi.
Communicated with Governor
Reeves after the storm.
I know it's a devastating storm that they're
following over there and and you know,
we're certainly very lucky
and thank God for that.
Well, that will open up
for questions for Richard.
Well we've definitely been in
touch with our federal partners.
I think the federal,
you know we'll we're continuing to assess.
I'll let director stallins
give you an update on that.
I mean look our first priority e
need to get people's power back.
We need to make sure people are okay,
we need to make sure they
have water and they have food.
It's going to take us a little e
to assess to figure out you know what
what kind of federal declaration if any,
we would have.
Do you have anything? So
we have been in contact
with our federal partners.
The biggest thing to remember is right now
we're in search and rescue and life saving.
So those preliminary damage assessments,
yes that money is important,
but it's secondary to safety rit
now as the, as we mentioned ear,
there's some more rain coming
into the area tonight,
possibly two to three inches.
So we're trying to do everything we can
to make sure we've got folks in shelters,
we've got folks out of harm's w.
So once we get those missions
accomplished then we'll start
moving into the financial piece.
Well, I think when you, you kno,
when you see that house,
you're thinking, Lord, how does
somebody survive something like that?
And then to get to talk to that
person is pretty amazing about
hearing the story about the stom
coming through it, you know,
around 7:00 AM and they've been
woken up at 4:30 AM with the hal
and then the storm hit so quick.
And had to have people help her
get out of the house.
It's just a miracle that no one was killed.
And you know,
we remembered meeting her, Marty
did. So I met her at the Kia pl,
actually, in the restroom.
And so I remembered her.
And that was her mom's home.
So it's a miracle that she,
she came out of it.
But she's doing well apparently.
Have they trained together to
respect the state cities and al.
We have communication because
sometimes when I open like
access for a while, but it seems
like, well, I would say as
far as our communications go,
we've had great communications
between our team and the locals.
But I mean we literally were hee
right after the storm and I was
texting with the sheriff shortly
after the after the storm, I kn.
Colonel Wright and the State
Patrol was in communications
with the Sheriff's Department.
He was telling me we had
people on the ground here.
And so I think we've had a grea,
you know, state local response d
we do have some of our federal
partners here today from the Wer
Service and obviously the Corps
engineers and we appreciate the.
All right, thank you all.