Isakson, Perdue Update Disaster Relief Efforts, Resources.

From a press release, with links to helpful information near the end:

WASHINGTON – In the wake of Hurricane Irma’s impact on Georgia, U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and David Perdue, R-Ga., today released additional information on aid and recovery efforts while praising the thorough and direct responses of local, state and federal preparedness officials.

The senators cautioned that Georgians should only return home after local officials say that it is okay and keep in mind that Hurricane Irma may have ongoing impacts and disruptions to daily activities because of its widespread damage across the state.

Georgia state parks are able to provide shelter for 5,000 individuals.

A state of emergency remains in effect for all 159 Georgia counties through Sept. 17. There are currently more than one million without power across the state. Three deaths have been reported as a result of the storm.

“Hurricane Irma was a serious and devastating storm that affected our entire state along with millions of people in neighboring states and multiple countries,” said Isakson. “Thanks to the preparation efforts by Governor Deal in close coordination with state, local and federal officials in advance of Hurricane Irma, Georgia was ready to respond on all levels. I appreciate the efforts by Georgia officials, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and all of the local first responders and medical personnel who helped keep Georgians aware and alert before and during Hurricane Irma. My prayers are with all those who experienced loss during this terrible storm and with the emergency first responders working to aid those in need.”

“Since Hurricane Irma hit Georgia, Governor Deal, our first responders, the Georgia National Guard, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency have been working around the clock to help keep Georgians safe,” said Perdue. “Everyone is doing an incredible job responding to emergency calls and providing Georgians in the storm’s path with real-time updates. Like many Georgians, Bonnie and I evacuated this weekend too, and we encourage everyone to pay attention to the official schedules for returning home. Senator Isakson and I remain in constant contact with Governor Deal’s office, and our state and federal agencies, as they begin to assess the damages and get our communities up and running again.”

Isakson and Perdue urged Georgians to follow guidance from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency before returning home or to businesses to help prevent additional risks.

On Sept. 8, ahead of the storm, Isakson, Perdue and the Georgia congressional delegation sent a letter to President Trump in support of Governor Deal’s request for a state of emergency declaration for Georgia in anticipation of Hurricane Irma. In response, the president quickly approved initial disaster assistance requests and issued an emergency declaration for Georgia to provide direct federal assistance to the state.

A day before the storm’s arrival in Georgia, Gov. Deal issued a final state of emergency declaration for all 159 Georgia counties on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2017, and closed state government on Sept. 11 and 12 for all employees except essential personnel.

Gov. Deal today issued a post-disaster request for public assistance, including direct federal assistance in all 159 Georgia counties for items such as public safety and debris removal. Six coastal counties, Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Glynn, Liberty and McIntosh, are included in a new request for individual private assistance that was submitted today.

State of emergency declaration requests help mitigate the impacts of the storm and provide a quicker response in its aftermath. The Georgia congressional delegation is working with Gov. Deal and the Trump administration to ensure that full federal resources are made available to those in need of emergency federal assistance in the coming days.

Georgians can find out more about and apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) assistance or register your sustained damage here. Georgians can also self-report basic damage information on homes, businesses, and public facilities with the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency here.

Additional Georgia hurricane resources:

· View up-to-date emergency declarations from Governor Deal here.

· View a list of Georgia shelter locations here or call 1-800-TRY-GEMA.

· Download FEMA’s app with emergency information by county here.

· Download Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency’s Ready Georgia mobile with the “I’m safe” alert feature here.

· Follow Georgia 511 for real-time traffic 24/7.

· List you and your family as safe with the Red Cross here.

· Red Cross disaster assistance: 1-877-500-8645.

· See safety tips from the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency here.

· Volunteer to get involved with recovery efforts after Hurricane Irma has passed with local and nationally known organizations. A list of volunteer websites are available at www.nvoad.org.

For additional updates, please visit the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency here.