10 years after Hurricane Matthew, Savannah officials urge storm preparedness

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Thursday marks 10 years since Hurricane Matthew left its mark on the Coastal Empire, and Savannah emergency officials are urging residents not to let their guard down as hurricane season continues.

Emergency officials say one of the biggest threats isn’t the storm itself, but what they call hurricane amnesia.

Officials warn against complacency

David Donnelly, emergency management officer for the City of Savannah Fire Department, said no two storms are the same.

“Every storm is different. Your previous experience may not dictate your next experience. Each storm is gonna impact us in different ways so it’s always better to err on the side of caution,” Donnelly said.

Officials say preparation can make a difference, from knowing an evacuation route to having emergency supplies ready before a storm arrives.

What to put in a safety kit

Donnelly listed the top items residents should have in a hurricane safety kit.

“So chargers, chargers for your phones and tablets, but also have non-powered entertainment, books, games. Food, and water and medication and having enough of that. Water should be a gallon per person per day, for example 5 days is 5 gallons per each person. Plan for your pets, have the medication for them, yourself and other family members,” Donnelly said.

Knowing your flood zone

Officials say residents need to know what zone they live in to know when to evacuate. Savannah is separated into zones that show areas at risk of flooding, using storm surge maps that identify where ocean water could push inland.

Officials say lessons learned from past hurricanes continue to shape how Savannah plans for storms.

“It all focuses on providing services to our public. We want to keep people safe so we have law enforcement due 12 hour shifts, we have 12 hour shifts for firefighters, again providing safety and security and medical aid, and if there’s any fires and things like that or hazmat material bills, so make sure we can continue to do that and make sure the water continues to flow,” Donnelly said.

Emergency officials say the message is simple: don’t wait until a storm is headed your way to get ready. Residents are encouraged to create a hurricane safety plan and check their flood zone.

Flood Zone Map

As per David Donnelly’s explanation this is straight from the Chatham County Emergency Management Wesbite:

An Evacuation Order will be issued when local officials feel it may be in your best interest to evacuate the targeted area. An Evacuation Order is a general statement used to encourage residents to evacuate.

A Mandatory Evacuation Order is an executive directive requiring all residents, visitors, businesses and others in the target area to evacuate. Personal discretion is not an option.

In addition, Chatham County has constructed new evacuation zones to ensure an efficient exit for all communities that are in the target area. These zones are:

These zones are clear boundaries that are already established in Chatham County. Residents are familiar with these landmarks and should be able to easily identify which zone they live and work in.