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The 2021 Hurricane Season begins on June 1^st, and several areas are gearing up for the potential of strong storms. Coastal Georgia prepared with a hurricane drill involving local municipalities, emergency response teams, representatives from the Georgia Ports Authority, the Army Corps of Engineers and the American Red Cross. All were tested on how they would respond if a hurricane was 500 miles away and projected to make landfall in Northern Florida or Southeast Georgia. 

 As the exercise went on and the hurricane got closer all participating parties were asked the same questions on how they would respond if and when a hurricane took the same route as the drill. EMA directors said should a hurricane or tropical storm enter into their area of response they would keep the public informed with issued updates throughout the day. 

 As part of the exercise local officials would complete a checklist that would include making sure vehicles had full gas tanks, water towers were full, water treatment plants were secure, inspecting generators and evacuating local animal shelters. 

Al Saunders, a warning coordinator meteorologist with Jacksonville’s National Weather Service office, explained during the drill that a strong storm surge from a category 2 hurricane with a large wind field would likely be worse than a category 4 storm, because the Golden Isles has some of the strongest tides on the East Coast. 

While technology improves every day and storm trackers work very hard to predict where hurricanes will make landfall, these storms can still exhibit unpredictability. It’s a good idea to prepare for severe weather throughout the year, but especially during Hurricane Season. Here are a few things you can do to prepare: 

1. Check with your Georgia Farm Bureau agent on your insurance coverage. 
2. Make an emergency plan
3. Know your evacuation zone
4. Keep your emergency supplies stocked
   1. Bottled wayer 
   2. Non-perishable food
   3. First aid kit
   4. Battery-powered radio and extra batteries
   5. Flashlights

       

5. Remain alert for tornado watches and warnings

Content provided by: The Brunswick News, Georgia Department of Transportation and the National Weather Service