Hurricane Helene News Release #13

City remains under state of emergency; Resources available

SAVANNAH – The City of Savannah continues to respond to impacts from Hurricane Helene. City administrative offices and facilities reopened on Tuesday and will operate on a normal schedule this week.

The City of Savannah remains under a state of emergency which began on Sept. 25 and allows the government to activate the Emergency Operations Plan.

Wednesday, Oct. 2 City of Savannah operational update:

Damage Assessment

• 339 structures affected
• 15 minor damage
• 96 major damage
• 8 destroyed
• Estimated public assistance cost: +$10.5 million.

Sanitation and Debris Collection

• Estimated 300,000 cubic yards debris citywide
• Contracted debris operations to commence Friday
• Residential refuse collection operations normal
• Street sweeping operations normal
• Recycling suspended

Community Centers/Comfort Charging Stations

• City’s Community Centers (except Woodville Center and Windsor Forrest Regional Center due to power outages) on normal hours
• Comfort/charging centers: The Tompkins Regional Center (2333 Ogeechee Rd.) and the Grant Center Gymnasium (123 West St.) 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a temporary comfort/charging center for residents.
• The Daffin Park Pool: 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. every day
• Open splashpads (11 a.m. – 7 p.m.): Hudson Hill (2227 Hudson St.); Hull Park (55^th and Atlantic Ave.); Crusader Park (81 Coffee Bluff Villa Rd.); Forrest Hills (Skidaway and Berkshire Rd.); Victory Heights Park (E 42^nd St and Taskin Ave.); Savannah Gardens (516 Pennsylvania Ave.).
• Neighborhood Charging Stations: Carver Village Community Center (905 Collat); Tatumville Community Center (333 Coleman); The PARC (425 Pennsylvania Ave.); La Vida parking lot (535 Windsor Rd.); Daffin Park between the basketball court and swimming pool (E. Victory Dr.); Habersham Village parking lot; SIP building (1700 Drayton).

Traffic Signals Update

• 15 roads remain impacted
• 113 trees down/33 powerlines
• 22 traffic signals out

Park & Tree Updates

• Residents should report any broken limbs to the City via 311
• All City owned cemeteries remain closed

Available Resources

• Gasoline availability: tracker.gasbuddy.com
• Debris cleanup assistance: 1-844-965-1386/www.crisiscleanup.org.
• FEMA Individual Assistance: www.disasterassistance.gov
• To report price gouging: //www.consumer.georgia.gov/resolve-your-dispute/how-do-i-file-complaint

Georgia Power Outage Update (Oct. 2)

• Estimated 25,400 power outages remain
• 16% of the community affected.

Public Safety Update

• Total event SPD calls: 882
• Total event SFD calls: 3,727
• Total event 311 calls: 253
• Total event service request: 210

Service requests can still be submitted to 311 online at //savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.   

For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and visit //savannahga.gov/stormhelene. 

Hurricane Helene News Release #9

Debris removal process begins; Comfort centers/splashpads to open

SAVANNAH – The City of Savannah continues to respond to impacts from Hurricane Helene. City offices and facilities remained closed on Monday, Sept. 30 for non-essential personnel. All essential services are responding at full capacity. 

Sanitation and Debris Collection

Due to the high volume of food spoilage from prolonged wide-spread power outages, the City’s Sanitation Department have suspended all recycling services until further notice starting on Monday, Sept. 30. Recycling carts can be used for garbage overflow and left with garbage carts curbside at the normal point-of-collection to be picked up on collection routes this week. 

Residential refuse collection will proceed as normal. Residents are encouraged to hold recyclables until regular collections resume or use single stream drop-off facilities. 

The City has secured a contractor for debris removal operations which will begin this week. Due to the large volume of debris, removal operations are expected to continue for several weeks until completed.

Residents should place containerized (bagged) storm debris at the regular point-of-collection without blocking the roadway or storm drains. Large limbs should be placed separately off the street. Limit yard waste materials to containerized items, bags or refuse carts. Larger vegetative debris will be collected separately.

Residents are asked to not place debris near trees, poles, or other structures that may hinder removal. All storm debris must be separated by type: household garbage, containerized yard waste, larger vegetative debris, bulk items, etc.

Collection of large vegetative debris will begin later this week and continue until completed. Debris removal operations will complete a first pass city-wide before further operations continue.

All household garbage/trash should be containerized within City issued residential refuse carts. Residents who wish to dispose of debris themselves may bring it to the convenience stations at Dean Forest Road Landfill or Bacon Park Convenience Center which are operating on the regular schedule.

Facilities Open as Comfort/Charging Centers

The City will open the Tompkins Regional Center (2333 Ogeechee Rd.) and the Grant Center Gymnasium (123 West St.) on Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. as a temporary comfort/charging center for residents. More centers are expected to open on Monday. 

The Daffin Park Pool will also be open from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday.  City staff is working to have all splashpads operational by noon on Monday with the exception of the Forsyth Park splashpad. City splashpads will also be operational on Tuesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

City splashpads to open: Hudson Hill (2227 Hudson St.); Hull Park (55^th and Atlantic Ave.); Crusader Park (81 Coffee Bluff Villa Rd.); Forrest Hills (Skidaway and Berkshire Rd.); Avondale Park (Texas and Ohio Ave.); Victory Heights Park (E 42^nd St and Taskin Ave.); Savannah Gardens

(516 Pennsylvania Ave.)

Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) will open the following locations as charging/cooling centers on Sunday: The Empowerment Center (4704 Augusta Road) 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Compassion Christian Church (50 Al Henderson Blvd.) 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.; Mighty 8^th Air Museum (175 Bourne Ave.) 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.; Life Bridge Ministry (8511 Waters Ave.) 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.; Kingdom Life Christian Fellowship (425 W. Montgomery Cross Rd.) 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.; Thunderbolt Fire (2702 Mechanics Ave.) 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.; Tybee Island YMCA (204 Fifth St.) 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Georgia Power Outage Update

As of 7 a.m. this morning, there are an estimated 63,414 power outages remaining affecting 40% of the community. Georgia Power released estimated restoration times on Saturday. Residents are encouraged to consult outagemap.georgiapower.com for more information. 

The City is partnering with Georgia Power to assist in sharing information about power restoration. Georgia Power is our public utility power supplier. The City has no direct responsibility for power restoration. 

Traffic Signals Update

Monday morning assessments noted an estimated 80 roads remain impacted in the City due to downed trees and power lines. While some traffic signals have been restored, 53 of the 280 City-operated traffic signals are still without power. The City is working with Georgia Power to restore power to the signal cabinets at the remaining intersections. That number does not include County or GDOT operated signals. 

Drivers are reminded that all non-operating stoplights should be treated as an all-way stop. When driving, residents are encouraged to exercise extreme caution, be patient, and stay alert. 

Service requests can still be submitted to 311 online at //savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.   

Gas Availability Tracker

With many individuals in our community seeking gasoline availability, one resource individuals can refer to is tracker.gasbuddy.com

Debris Cleanup Assistance

Residents looking for cleanup assistance can call 1-844-965-1386 or register at www.crisiscleanup.org.

City Water/Sewer Operations Normal

As a reminder, if you receive a water bill from the City of Savannah or your property is located within the City limits and your landlord receives a City water bill then you are not subject to boil water advisory at this time. The City will notify customers if a change in the status occurs. 

The boil water advisory issued on Monday only applies to the specific water systems managed by Water Utility Management. For updates and impact information, find Water Utility Management on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/@WaterUtilityMgt

The City’s Water Resources Department reports no major issues with the City’s drinking water supply system. The sewage system continues to operate under a mix of generator power and grid power. No major issues have been reported. 

For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and visit //savannahga.gov/stormhelene. 

Hurricane Helene News Release #7

No boil water advisory for City of Savannah customers

SAVANNAH – City of Savannah water customers are not on a boil water advisory.

This includes water customers within the City limits and for selected areas in the unincorporated Chatham County on the City’s water system. If you receive a water bill from the City of Savannah or your property is located within the City limits and your landlord receives a City water bill then you are not subject to boil water advisory at this time. The City will notify customers if a change in the status occurs.

The boil water advisory issued today only applies to the specific water systems managed by Water Utility Management. For updates and impact information, find Water Utility Management on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/@WaterUtilityMgt

The City’s Water Resources Department reports no major issues with the City’s drinking water supply system. The sewage system continues to operate under a mix of generator power and grid power. No major issues have been reported.

For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and visit //savannahga.gov/stormhelene. 

Hurricane Helene News Release #5

Major debris cleanup underway; Power outages affecting traffic signals

SAVANNAH – The City of Savannah continues to experience severe impacts from Hurricane Helene including major debris, impassable roads, and power outages. Essential emergency services including public safety, water and sewer, stormwater, park and tree, and traffic engineering will respond at full capacity through the weekend. 

The City’s Sanitation Department continues to operate regular yard waste pickup services and are beginning debris removal operations. Due to the large volume of debris, removal operations are expected to continue through the weekend into next week. Residents who wish to dispose of debris themselves may bring it to the convenience stations at Dean Forest Landfill or Bacon Park Transfer Station which are operating on regular hours. 

City crews completed assessment of damage in 41 neighborhoods yesterday and plan to assess damage in an additional 60 neighborhoods today.

There are an estimated 94,460 power outages remaining affecting 59% of the community. The City is working directly with Georgia Power to remove downed trees, limbs, and debris from public right of ways and restore power as soon as possible. If a downed power line is encountered, do not approach it. Call 911 to report it or contact Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938 to file a report. To check the status of your area’s power outage, visit outagemap.georgiapower.com

Saturday morning assessments noted 32 blocked, impassible or traffic impacted roads in the City. While some traffic signals have been restored, 130 of the 280 City-operated traffic signals are without power as of Saturday morning. That number does not include County or GDOT operated signals. Four City signals are in flash mode and four are operating under generator power. City crews are working to restore all signals to full operation. 

Drivers are reminded that all non-operating stoplights should be treated as an all-way stop. When driving, residents are encouraged to exercise extreme caution, be patient, and stay alert. 

The City will open the Tompkins Regional Center (2333 Ogeechee Rd.) on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. as a temporary comfort/charging center for residents.  Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) will open the Tybee Island YMCA (204 54^th St.) on Saturday until 7 p.m., The Empowerment Center (4704 Augusta Road) until 7 p.m., and Compassion Christian Church (50 Al Henderson Blvd.) as a cooling/charging stations. 

Savannah Police Department received 898 calls for service on Sept. 27, Savannah Fire Department received 476 calls and the 311 Action Center received 275 calls. 

Service requests can still be submitted to 311 online at //savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.   

Residents are reminded that when using a generator for power: first read the manual and understand how the machine operates; refuel the machine safely; only use generators outside, monitor carbon monoxide output; never leave a generator running unattended; and keep the generator away from doors and windows. 

Water Resources reports no major issues with the City’s drinking water supply system. The sewage system continues to operate under a mix of generator power and grid power. No major issues have been reported.

For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and visit //savannahga.gov/stormhelene. 

Hurricane Helene News Release #4 / savannahga.gov

City storm response, key reminders

SAVANNAH – Due to overnight impacts from Hurricane Helene, residents are urged to remain off the roadway as City of Savannah crews work to clear debris and assess major damage. 

City services have been impacted on Friday. Essential emergency services including public safety, water and sewer, stormwater, park and tree, and traffic engineering are responding at full capacity. 

Early assessments by the City on Friday indicate 42 impassable roads city-wide and 66 downed trees. Georgia Power is reporting 117,965 outages impacting 72% of the community. Cellular service has also been impacted by power outages. 

Savannah Police Department received 443 calls for service from the beginning of the event. Savannah Fire Department received 325 calls, and the 311 Action Center received 253 calls. SFD responded to a partial building collapse at 317 W. Broughton. The site has been secured pending a further engineering evaluation. SFD also responded to four structure fires. No major injuries were reported and all sites have been secured. 

Water Resources is assessing 215 lift stations, 48 well houses, six water treatment and reclamation facilities, seven stormwater pump stations and drinking water lines around downed trees. No major issues with the City’s drinking water supply have been reported. All systems are operating as normal. 

Drivers are reminded that all non-operating stop lights should be treated as an all-way stop. If travel is necessary, residents are encouraged to exercise caution, be patient, and stay alert. 

The City’s Sanitation Department will resume yard waste collection on Saturday, allowing residents time to gather any storm-related yard debris and place at their usual collection points. 

The City’s 311 phone service has been restored. Service requests can be submitted by calling 311 or online at //Savannah’s.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app. 

The City is working with Georgia Power to removed downed trees, limbs, and debris from public right of ways so power can be resorted as soon as possible. If a downed power line is encountered, do not approach it. Call 911 to report it or contact Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938 

Hurricane Helene News Release #3 / savannahga.gov

City offices will be closed Friday; Residents urged to avoid downed power lines

SAVANNAH – All non-emergency essential city offices and services will be closed on Friday, Sept. 27 due to impacts from Hurricane Helene, including power outages, downed power lines and multiple impassable roadways. Residents are urged to remain off roadways if possible. 

All essential emergency services including public safety, water and sewer, stormwater, park and tree, and traffic engineering will respond at full capacity as weather permits. As previously announced, yard waste pickup will be postponed from Friday collection to Saturday collection this week to allow residents to gather any storm-related yard debris and place at their usual collection point. 

If a downed power line is encountered, do not approach it. Instead, residents are urged to call 911 to report and report to Georgia Power at 888-891-0938.

If travel is necessary, drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution. Please be aware that traffic signals may not be operational due to widespread power outages, and roads may be blocked by fallen trees or other debris. Updates on road closures and other storm-related information can be found at //savannahga.gov/stormhelene. 

Due to impacts from the storm, the City’s 311 phone line is temporarily out of service. Service requests can still be submitted online at //Savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app. 

For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. 

Hurricane Helene News Release #2 / savannahga.gov

City offices to open at 10 a.m. on Friday; Yard Waste Collection on Saturday

SAVANNAH – City operations and offices remained open on Thursday. Based on anticipated impacts from Hurricane Helene, City of Savannah offices will open at 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27.

All essential emergency services including public safety, water and sewer, stormwater, park and tree, and traffic engineering will respond at full capacity throughout the event as weather permits. 

The City’s Sanitation Department will not operate street sweeping Thursday evening. Yard waste pickup will be postponed from Friday collection to Saturday collection this week to allow residents to gather any storm-related yard debris and place at their usual collection point.

The Recorder’s Court traffic docket scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27 is canceled. All matters for the docket will be rescheduled.

Due to roadway flooding during the day on Thursday the City of Savannah has closed nearly 20 roads and anticipate more closures through Friday due to overnight impacts. Updates on road closures and other storm-related information can be found at //savannahga.gov/stormhelene. 

As of 6 p.m. Thursday, Chatham County is under a Tropical Storm Warning and Tornado Watch. Forecasted impacts include 2-4 inches of rainfall with a 1-3 ft. storm surge possible. The greatest impact may come from high winds. There is currently a 90% chance of Tropical Storm winds arriving Thursday evening. The peak wind forecast is 25-35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph. The situation is currently favorable for tornadoes. 

Residents are reminded that the city-wide siren system will sound when a tornado warning has been issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). When the sirens sound, residents are asked to seek shelter immediately. 

When sounding the sirens during a tornado warning, the system will run selected sirens for three minutes, then pause for ten minutes, then activate for three minutes. This cycle repeats until the warning is canceled by the NWS. 

The City will continue to provide residents and businesses with sand and sandbags in the parking lot next to the EnMarket Arena at 1100 W. Gwinnett St. on Thursday until 8 p.m. or until supplies last. Sandbags will be limited to 10 bags per resident. Residents are asked to bring their own shovel to fill the bags. 

A state of local emergency was declared on Wednesday, Sept. 25 effective at noon, providing the City Manager authority to execute emergency management plans and procure necessary resources to prepare for and respond to any impacts brought on by Hurricane Helene. 

For questions about City services or to submit a service request, residents can call 311. Service requests can also be submitted online at //Savannahga.gov/311request. 

For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. 

Hurricane Helene News Release #1 / savannahga.gov

City of Savannah declares state of local emergency

SAVANNAH – Based on expected impacts from Hurricane Helene, Mayor Van R. Johnson, II in coordination with other municipalities has declared a state of local emergency in Savannah effective Wednesday, Sept. 25 at noon. 

A state of local emergency provides the City Manager the authority to execute emergency management plans and procure necessary resources to prepare for and respond to any impacts brought on by Tropical Strom Helene. 

Currently, Chatham County is under a Tropical Storm Warning and forecasted to receive 2-4 inches of rain with localized higher amounts. There is potential for a 1-3 foot storm surge. The greatest impact may come from high winds. There is currently a 20-30% chance of Tropical Storm winds arriving Thursday evening. The peak wind forecast is 25-35 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.

The City will provide residents and businesses with sand and sandbags ahead of the forecasted rainfall. Sandbags will be limited to 10 bags per resident. Residents are asked to bring their own shovel to fill the bags.

Sandbags will be available Wednesday, Sept. 25 from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Thursday, Sept. 26 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. while supplies last and weather allows in the parking lot next to the EnMarket Arena at 1100 W. Gwinnett St.

City crews have already begun preparation for the storm, clearing storm drains and catch basins and providing additional maintenance to storm water systems. The City does not anticipate any major interruptions to sanitation services at this time. Residents are encouraged to secure their refuse and recycling carts ahead of the storm.

Savannah residents and businesses are urged to review emergency plans and kits ahead of the arrival of inclement weather. Information on preparedness can be found at //savannahga.gov/stormhelene.

For questions about City services or to submit a service request, residents can call 311. Service requests can also be submitted online at //Savannahga.gov/311request. For updates specific to the City of Savannah, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.