Hurricane season began June 1, and Bryan County’s Emergency Services Emergency Operation Center is ready for action if needed.
Set up at Station 7 on Hwy. 204 in North Bryan County, EMS Director Jim Anderson said the center is well equipped with generators, radios, and phones, everything needed to keep operational 24 hours 7 days a week.
"If a hurricane comes this way, the center is capable of housing multiple departments, including local law enforcement, GEMA, FEMA, EMS, and fire," Anderson said, "keeping them all together and everyone informed and able to take action if necessary."
Anderson said residents would be kept updated of weather developments through television, radio and other media outlets, including on the internet at multiple sites like www.weather.com or www.nhc.noaa.gov.
Anderson said, for years everyone has been told to keep enough supplies, such as bottled water, candles, flashlights and a weather radio, for three days.
"Seven days would be a better number," he said. "Depending on the extent of the damage, it could be three days or longer before electricity could be turned back on, or in the case of an evacuation, let back into the county."Evacuation routes for South Bryan County run along Hwy. 144 West from Richmond Hill, through Glennville and on to Reidsville, and for the North end, follow Hwy. 280 West out of the county.
"I-16 and I-95 are for the evacuation of Chatham County, so they are really congested," Anderson said. "DOT sets the evacuation routes, and they should be followed to help ease the congestion as much as possible."
Anderson said the Dublin area has motels and lodging evacuees would need until they could get back home.
"A category three storm would more than likely call for the evacuation of the entire county," Anderson said. "Everyone needs to have an evacuation plan ready."
A big mistake many people make, Anderson said, is deciding to stay if an evacuation is called.
"The best advice I can give," he said, "if you’re asked to evacuate, leave. It’s as simple as that."