ATLANTA – State Representative Mike Cheokas (R-Americus), chair of the House Small Business Development Committee, yesterday visited the State Operations Center and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and Homeland Security (GEMA/HS) headquarters and received a briefing regarding Hurricane Ian’s path and potential impact on South Georgia. The State Operations Center, which was activated this week by Governor Kemp and emergency management officials, is a Multi-Agency Coordination Center used by state, federal, local and volunteer agencies, as well as private sector organizations, to respond to disasters or emergencies that require a coordinated state response.
“I want to thank the governor and GEMA for dedicating every resource it has towards protecting South Georgia from this storm,” said Rep. Cheokas. “Our community will likely experience an extremely dangerous wind field from this storm that will cause tree and property damage and power outages. The state is standing by to support its citizens, but our citizens need to do their part and remain weather aware. I want to urge the Southwest Georgia community to be ready and take the necessary precautions before Thursday.”
Ahead of the storm’s domestic landfall, Rep. Cheokas, along with State Representatives Penny Houston (R-Nashville), Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) and Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville), traveled to the State Operations Center and the GEMA/HS headquarters to meet with GEMA/HS Commissioner James C. Stallings, the agency’s lead meteorologist and other members of the executive team. The legislators received a detailed report of the storm’s developing path, preparations taking place in their communities and were told to expect power loss and property and tree damage from strong winds.
GEMA/HS is continuing to provide updates to Rep. Cheokas regarding the storm. As of Tuesday morning, the forecast track has shifted slightly to the south and east, and Ian is now forecast to make landfall over west-central Florida Wednesday and Thursday as a Category 3 hurricane. Ian’s forward motion will slow dramatically Wednesday and Thursday before picking up speed to the north on Friday. According to the agency, lighter rain could begin to move into southeastern Georgia on Thursday, but heavy rain bands and gusty winds will likely move in on Friday and overspread Georgia from southeast to northwest throughout the day.
Ian will rapidly weaken Thursday night and Friday and could impact southeastern Georgia as a tropical storm or tropical depression on Friday. Southeastern Georgia could receive tropical storm force sustained winds of greater than 39 mph with higher gusts. The wind field will expand as the storm weakens and moves northward, and damaging winds over 40 mph will be possible across Georgia, even well away from the center of the track. Downed trees and power lines are possible statewide on Friday and Saturday. Heavy rain is expected on Friday and Saturday, generally moving from southeast to northwest. Flash flooding will be possible where heavy rainfall occurs, especially in Southeast Georgia. Ian will continue to weaken and move northward through Georgia on Saturday before exiting the state on Sunday.
For information on hurricane preparedness from GEMA/HS, please click here.
To view and/or download photos from Rep. Cheokas’ visit to GEMA/HS, please click here.
*Editor’s Note: A graphic from GEMA/HS regarding the storm is attached.
Representative Mike Cheokas represents the citizens of District 138, which includes Chattahoochee, Marion and Schley counties and portions of Sumter County. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2005 and re-elected in 2018. He currently serves as Chairman of the Small Business Development Committee. He also serves as a member on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and the Code Revision, Creative Arts & Entertainment, Education, Health & Human Services and Special Rules committees.
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