ATLANTA — Governor Brian Kemp is warning the state to be prepared as approaching Hurricane Dorian closes in on the East Coast, and possibly Georgia.
Kemp was joined by the Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John King and GEMA Director Homer Bryson Wednesday at the statehouse as he outlined Hurricane Dorian preparations the state is taking ahead of the storm.
"As you know, over the last few days, federal, state, and local officials from across the country have been closely monitoring the storm developing in the Atlantic," Kemp said. "As we move into the Labor Day weekend, we wanted to give the public an update on the state's ongoing storm preparations."
The Atlantic storm became Hurricane Dorian around 2 p.m. Wednesday. Current projections show the storm is expected to strengthen to a possible category 3 hurricane in the warm waters of the Caribbean before heading on to the East Coast, likely making landfall somewhere in Florida. However, Georgia's coast is is in the "cone of uncertainty," prompting state officials to begin taking preparations.
"Currently projections are very uncertain, but we're committed to the safety of Georgia families across our state," Kemp said.
Kemp said state officials have been working with the federal government and neighboring states to mobilize storm response, should they be needed. But that all depends on the path Dorian takes.
"Over the next 24 hours, we hope to have a clearer pic of Dorian's projections," he said.
Spaghetti models show possible paths of Dorian - with many of them cutting a path across the central part of the Florida peninsula. After that, paths diverge, with some of them taking Dorian either into the Gulf of Mexico, or into the southern part of Georgia. But at this point, Kemp said, "it's very difficult to tell at this moment."
"I think the thing that makes it difficult for really all these areas is, we've been hit before. We don't need to be hit again, but we don't have much control over that,"
Kemp said.
HURRICANE DORIAN: Spaghetti models, tracking maps and more
Kemp said state officials are already weighing how to handle potential evacuation scenarios - from both Florida into Georgia, and inland from the Georgia coast - and what it may mean for traffic.
The governor added that those discussions will also include how they will handle "vulnerable populations," including the elderly, hospital population, homeless and inmates. Kemp said officials will also be looking at the impact the situation will have on the fuel supply.
"We are watching this all closely," he said.
While no state of emergency has been declared, Kemp said they will continue to monitor developments, should declaring one become necessary.
GEMA's director said they will activate the state emergency operations center at noon, Thursday. Bryson added that GEMA has already been in contact with their federal counterparts, and the FEMA incident management team in place by Friday morning. An additional part of the storm plan includes having the National Guard on stand by.
"We're reaching out to the local governments to touch base and see what their needs and what their concerns are," Bryson said.
While things are still fluid, officials said "preparation" is the key word.
"With Dorian approaching, I'm urging all Georgians in the potential affected area to take action to start not only protecting themselves, but also protecting their valuables," warned King, the insurance and fire safety commissioner.
That includes making copies of all important documents, including insurance paperwork, and inventorying their personal belongings. King also suggested putting together a "Go Kit" that includes those documents - and precious items like photographs - in case the decision has to be made to evacuate.
Ultimately, Kemp stressed that at this moment, it's important for all to stay ready.
"Importantly, if you plan on traveling to the coast or Florida for this long weekend, please keep a very close eye on the weather. Your safety is vitally important. Please stay vigilant," he said.
"The best we can do is prepare for it, protect your belongings, protect your home and make sure you're ready to move quickly in the next 24 hours or so," he added.
Kemp said state officials will give regular updates as the storm continues its approach.
MORE NEWS