Hurricane Ian: Chatham officials to end local state of emergency at 6 p.m. Friday

Zoe Nicholson, Savannah Morning News
·3 min read

Friday, Sept. 30 update: Chatham County will end the local state of emergency at 6 PM Friday, September 30, 2022. The local state of emergency began on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, in response to Hurricane Ian’s threat to Chatham County.

Original story:

Hurricane Ian, making landfall in southwest Florida as a Category 5 storm. is one of the first major storms headed for Chatham County in several years.

Savannah and Chatham County, particularly the eastside, anticipates up to eight inches of rain and five feet of storm surge (which will swell an already high tide of 10.8 feet) on Thursday night.

While officials said they do not see a need for evacuation, there are several key steps to prepare for the flooding and wind gusts set to lash the Georgia coast Thursday evening through Saturday morning.

All things Ian:

Beach goers walk along Tybee's south beach as heavy winds and a high surf from Hurricane Ian can already be seen.
Beach goers walk along Tybee's south beach as heavy winds and a high surf from Hurricane Ian can already be seen.

Here are some things to do ahead of Ian's arrival:

Secure your yard, house

With strong winds expected to batter Savannah and the county, officials are urging homeowners to secure any outdoor objects before Thursday, including yard furniture, trash bins, gardening supplies, toys and playsets or any objects that could fly away and cause damage to your property or others'.

Inside, be sure to take photos of important items for insurance purposes and ensure that everything is secure.

Waves crash under the pier on Wednesday as the effects of Hurricane Ian reached Tybee Island.
Waves crash under the pier on Wednesday as the effects of Hurricane Ian reached Tybee Island.

If the power goes out, be sure to keep your fridge closed to keep food from spoiling and cold from escaping. And while officials do not anticipate homes losing water, having emergency bottled water on-hand is imperative.

In the event of flooding, a tree falling or other storm-related emergency, law enforcement and first responders will be ready to assist people.

Be ready to go

Chatham Emergency Management Agency Director Dennis Jones emphasized the need for people to pack emergency kits for themselves, their children and their pets. An emergency kit should already be packed ahead of a natural disaster.

The federal government lists the following as essentials for an emergency kit: 

A kite surfer takes advantage of strong winds and waves on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian began to impact Tybee Island.
A kite surfer takes advantage of strong winds and waves on Wednesday as Hurricane Ian began to impact Tybee Island.

  • Water

  • Food (non-perishable)

  • Battery-powered or hand crank radio

  • Flashlight

  • First-aid kit

  • Batteries

  • Whistle

  • Face mask

  • Tarp

  • Duct tape

  • Garbage bags

  • Hand sanitizer

  • Wrench or pliers (to shut utilities off)

  • Can opener

  • Maps

  • Cell phone with portable charger

Jones also said to include any books, toys or games for children and pets, in case the power goes out and they need to be comforted and/or entertained.

Know who is available to help

All first responders are on alert and preparing for the storm's impacts, according to Jones, but there are also a few other places to find help:

  • Sandbags: Tybee residents can get them at Memorial Park, 402 Jones Ave., Tybee; Port Wentworth residents can pick them up at Fire Stations 1 (317 Cantyre St.) and 2 (6781 GA-21) and City Hall (7224 GA Highway 21)

  • Savannah 3-1-1 line: The city's helpline is now running 24 hours a day. Call in for help, or to report safety hazards.

  • CEMA: Chatham Emergency Management Agency is the lead for all things related to local storm efforts. They can be found on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @ChathamEMA.

White caps, stirred by heavy winds and high seas, roll through Lazaretto Creek around the Cockspur Lighthouse on Wednesday.
White caps, stirred by heavy winds and high seas, roll through Lazaretto Creek around the Cockspur Lighthouse on Wednesday.

Stay up to date

The Savannah Morning News will be sharing regular updates throughout the rest of the week and weekend about Hurricane Ian. Our social media for Facebook, Instagram and Twitter is @savannahnow and our website is savannahnow.com.

Other resources include:

Contact Zoe at znicholson@gannett.com, @zoenicholson_ on Twitter, and @zoenicholsonreporter on Instagram. 

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Hurricane Ian Impact: What Savannah residents should know for storm