Georgia ’s Response to Hurricane Katrina

As of September 7, 2005  

Governor Sonny Perdue has mobilized the Georgia National Guard and several state agencies, led by OHS-GEMA, to help provide disaster relief assistance to the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and the evacuees from those states. The Governor has taken steps to ensure gas supply to all Georgians and to prohibit price gouging on motor fuel. He has asked President Bush for federal assistance to help with incoming evacuees. In response to the tornadoes that impacted Peach and Carroll County, the Governor has asked for and SBA disaster declaration that will provide for small business loans to those affected.

Executive orders signed:

· Governor Perdue signed an executive order calling for a temporary moratorium on state collection of all motor fuel taxes (September 2, 2005)

  • Governor Perdue signed an executive order calling up members of the Georgia National Guard to assist with disaster relief efforts (September 1, 2005)
  • Governor Perdue signed an executive order calling on state agencies to develop plans and identify resources for assisting states affected by Hurricane Katrina (August 31, 2005)
  • Governor Perdue signed an executive order to prevent price gouging on motor fuel (August 31, 2005)
  • Governor Perdue signed an executive order lifting weight restrictions on trucks coming into the state of Georgia from Florida. (August 26, 2005).

Actions with regard to Georgia’s gas supply:

  • The Governor, in addition to signing an executive order calling for a moratorium on the collection of motor fuel taxes, has called a special session of the General Assembly to ratify his decision.
  • The Governor has declared an energy emergency in Georgia to control price gouging on gas.
  • The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority is monitoring gas supply and helping to get supplies to law enforcement, emergency health services and schools .
  • Governor requested federal Department of Transportation (DOT) to lift restrictions and allow trucks to travel 24 hours a day, delivering more fuel to Georgia gas stations.
  • The Governor has waived gasoline regulations that require special additive gasoline in the summer months. Waiving this requirement will allow gasoline suppliers to bring available gasoline into Georgia to help alleviate shortages and keep prices to a minimum
  • Governor Perdue has approved the use of off-road diesel fuel as a substitute for diesel fuel.
  • The Governor is encouraging Georgia business owners to conserve gasoline by taking advantage of telework and flexible work schedule options for employees.

Georgia Provides Assistance to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama

· In coordination with the American Red Cross and local governments, Georgia has opened 16 shelters for the evacuees. There are about 1500 evacuees in these 16 shelters. We have 2000 open beds as additional capacity.

· A State Operations Center (SOC) is active and staffed with representatives from the Office of Homeland Security-Georgia Emergency Management Agency (OHS-GEMA), Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Division of Public Health, Georgia Department of Human Resources, and Georgia Department of Defense. Federal representatives to the SOC have included FEMA and First Army.

· OHS-GEMA is assisting on location and in the SOC with evacuation of patients from New Orleans area hospitals. OHS-GEMA continues to assist with the coordination of receipt of displaced individuals.

· The Georgia Army and Air National Guard is providing an estimated 1500 soldiers and airmen for relief operations. Relief missions include security, engineering, medical, airlift and support operations. The first Georgia National Guard assets sent to the affected area left on Wednesday (8/31) when three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters left for Louisiana and Mississippi. Additionally, Georgia Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and UH-1 Huey helicopters are also currently positioned in the affected areas. The first Georgia units are expected to be in place on Saturday.

· An Emergency Operations Center coordinated by the Department of Human Resources (DHR) is open and operating in Cobb County.

· The Georgia Forestry Commission currently has 18 personnel deployed throughout Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas to assist with clean-up and debris removal.

  • The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has sent 20 agents to assist the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.

Georgia’s Response to Incoming Evacuees

  • Flights came into Dobbins over the weekend with evacuees every couple of hours. We are standing ready to receive more evacuees if needed.
  • Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), together with the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Georgia state agencies and leaders of our faith-based community are coordinating efforts to assist in supporting shelters across the state.
  • Governor Perdue announced a more coordinated effort with the faith-community to provide supports to evacuees. Governor Perdue asked faith-based organizations to designate a point-of-contact for the disaster relief effort and to provide their contact information to the state of Georgia by logging onto www.connections.org .  The Department of Community Affairs (DCA), with the assistance of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, will coordinate with each point-of-contact to match offers of resources and volunteers with relief efforts that are currently underway.
  • We expect that many of these evacuees will soon call Georgia home. Following emergency assistance, our state agencies, led by GEMA, are organizing an effort to help refugees quickly transition from shelters to life in our communities. This includes enrolling children in our schools, providing access to ongoing health care, connection to long-term housing opportunities, job placement and other needs.

Disaster Relief for Georgia Counties with Tornado Damage

In addition to providing disaster relief to neighboring states, teams of Georgia state agencies are also responding to tornado damage in Peach, Carroll and White Counties. Governor Perdue toured damage in Peach and Carroll Counties on Tuesday. Teams coordinated through GEMA consisting of the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), Georgia Forestry Commission, Georgia State Patrol and State Board of Pardons and Paroles responded as early as Monday night to provide assistance to tornado victims.