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Georgia’s Electric Membership Corporations (EMCs) stand ready for the impact of Hurricane Helene, forecasted to intensify and make landfall as a Category 3 storm on Florida’s Gulf Coast, just south of Tallahassee.

Hurricane Helene is a sizeable storm, expected to impact the entire state of Georgia. The storm will enter Georgia on Thursday evening, traveling through the state along the Alabama state line and exit northern Georgia by Friday afternoon. Helene is a fast-moving storm and is forecasted to produce a tremendous amount of rainfall, with a minimum of four inches projected in each area of the storm’s path.

Georgia is located on the eastern side of the storm, which produces stronger winds, a greater possibility for tornados and a higher storm surge. Wind speeds greater than 110 mph can be expected.

EMCs were aware of forecasts for an above-average hurricane season and have been preparing since the season began in June.

“EMCs keep extra poles, transformers, wire and other necessary equipment on hand during hurricane season,” said Harry Reeves, vice president of training and safety at Georgia EMC. “As with each tropical storm, we have been monitoring Helene since it began forming. EMCs around the state have activated their storm plans, and we are working together statewide to respond to the expected power outages caused by the storm.”

EMCs have mobilized all key personnel and additional contract crews, prepared trucks with emergency equipment and increased supplies of materials that could be needed. Key staff members have also been in contact with other emergency service providers, including EMAs, police, fire and public works.

At the same time, EMCs have been in regular contact with other electric cooperatives across region to arrange for help and additional support to restore power.

Gov. Brian Kemp issued a State of Emergency in Georgia on Tuesday. The emergency declaration makes all state resources available to local governments and entities within the impacted area of the hurricane. Officials are warning residents in the storm’s path to be prepared for hurricane-force winds, tornados and heavy rains which could lead to flash flooding. Reeves says residents should heed the advice of local officials and be assured that electric cooperatives across the state are prepared and ready to begin restoring service as soon as it is safe to do so.

EMCs will continue to watch Hurricane Helene closely and remind members to keep abreast of the storm’s development and take every precaution in the event extended power outages occur. Stay informed by visiting https://gema.georgia.gov/ and https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.

As Georgia’s EMCs prepare, EMC members are encouraged to do the same using their emergency plan and the steps below.

As the Storm Approaches:
• Protect your home. Secure windows and doors and move loose items inside.
• Charge Up: Plug in all devices and keep them at a full charge.
• Check the Pantry: Make sure you have non-perishable food items and bottled water on hand.
• Fill Your Tank: It is always good to fill your car with gasoline in preparation for a lengthy outage. This can serve as another charging source for your devices while your home is without power.
• Activate Your Medical Plan: Now is the time to charge battery backup devices for medically necessary equipment. Alternately, consider temporarily relocating to an area less likely to lose power due to the storm.
• Stay updated. Keep up with storm updates for your area by checking weather apps, local TV stations and websites like weather.gov. Follow your local EMC and news outlets on social media for timely updates.
• Know How to Report Outages: Outages can be reported through a variety of methods. Check with your local EMC to determine the most efficient way for you to report a power outage.

Outage Information:
A map showing current outages by region, updated every 15 minutes, can be found at http://www.georgiaemc.com/outages. To report power outages and gain more detailed outage and restoration updates, customers should contact their local EMC provider.