CEMA Director: Prepare ahead for an active end to the 2022 hurricane season

Dennis Jones
·4 min read

This column is by Dennis Jones, a Pooler native who serves as the Director of the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA). He can be reached at dtjones@chathamcounty.org  

Chatham County residents, we are nearing the peak of the 2022 hurricane season. Experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continue to predict an above-average season.

We haven’t seen many storms this season, but August, September and October are often the most active months for tropical storms and hurricanes.

Over the last six years, Chatham County has seen an unprecedented amount of severe weather.

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Tropical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and snowstorms have impacted our community. With the increasing frequency of hazardous weather, there is no greater time than the present for Chatham residents to prepare.

As Director of the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), I strongly encourage everyone who lives, works and visits Chatham County to take time now to create or update your family’s emergency plan.

A family emergency plan does not need to be overly complex. The best emergency plans are created when a family sits down together and discusses three main topics: emergency notifications, evacuation procedures and communication strategies.

To begin, families should decide how they will receive emergency alerts and warnings. Awareness of hazards in our area is an essential element of preparedness. Staying informed before, during and after an event is critical.

A man walks through Forsyth Park in Savannah after Hurricane Dorian.
A man walks through Forsyth Park in Savannah after Hurricane Dorian.

One way to receive emergency warnings would be to register for CEMA Alerts. These alerts can come to your cell phone as a text message and can even be emailed to you. The quickest option to opt in to text messages is to text CEMA to 77295.

To register for email alerts and to learn about other available alerting services provided by Chatham County, visit our website: www.ChathamEmergency.org.

In addition to CEMA Alerts, we remain active on social media during hurricane season and throughout the year. CEMA’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages will provide you with accurate and timely notifications, when you need them most. You can find CEMA by searching @ChathamEMA on each social media site.

The second component of a successful family emergency plan is developing evacuation procedures.

If you have not done so already, we suggest you discuss the best evacuation destination and determine the most efficient route to take for your family. Making plans with friends and family outside of Chatham County may be the best decision; or, perhaps your family would rather stay in a hotel room.

Either way, establishing the destination and routes ahead of an emergency will save time and energy when a storm approaches.

We certainly recognize not every individual or family within Chatham County has the ability to evacuate themselves. Therefore, Chatham County has a program called the Evacuation Assembly Area (EAA). This provides evacuation services to any resident who wants to evacuate but doesn’t have the means.

During an evacuation order, citizens who want to use this program should get on any Chatham Area Transit bus where they will be taken to the Savannah Civic Center to begin the process.

For family members with functional, access or medical needs, evacuation assistance may be available through the Hurricane Registry. Residents with these needs must apply to be on the list prior to a storm. To learn more or to apply, please call 1-833-CHD-REGISTER.

The final element of an emergency plan involves a family communications strategy. During an emergency event, cell phones and computers may be limited or unreliable. Creating a family communications strategy will help ensure all members in your household know where and how to reach one another during an emergency.

This column is by Dennis Jones, a Pooler native who serves as the Director for the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA). He can be reached at dtjones@chathamcounty.org
This column is by Dennis Jones, a Pooler native who serves as the Director for the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA). He can be reached at dtjones@chathamcounty.org

To start, create a paper copy of contact information for family members and other important people. Then, place copies in everyone’s book bag, purse or wallet as well as in a central location within your home.

Knowing what actions you and your family can take now, before a storm, can increase your level of preparedness and ensure the safety of your loved ones. Take the time to familiarize yourself with CEMA’s emergency notifications, make your evacuation plans and develop your family communication strategy - it will provide a significant benefit when disaster strikes.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Hurricane season will have an active end. Have a plan