CSRA towns rally together as Debby continues to roll in
SWAINSBORO, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - As Tropical Storm Debby rolls in, the threat for Monday night and Tuesday is flooding.
Some of our southern regions are expected to start feeling it first.
We were in Emanuel County to see how crews there were preparing.
Everyone is in a hurry-and-wait mode.
Lots of folks ran to get supplies and prepare for what’s to come.
MORE FROM NEWS 12:
- First Alert: Heavy rain, flooding possible for the week ahead across the CSRA
- Tropical Storm Debby threatens Southeast with potentially catastrophic flooding, record-setting rain
- Georgia, South Carolina and CSRA all brace for Debby
When a small town comes together, it makes a big difference.
“Everybody kind of pitches in together. It’s not a whole lot of competitiveness between all of us. So, it’s going to be a matter of wherever the need is, then we will dispatch the people there to do it,” said Courtney Terwilliger, Emanuel County public safety coordinator.
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Right now, it’s just a matter of watching and waiting.
“It’s sitting around, watching the rainfall right at the moment and hope that, hope that as a storm comes in, it doesn’t stall the way they’re predicting it is, because the slower it gets right at the moment, it’s running eight miles an hour, and they’re expecting it to go down like two miles an hour,” he said.
Every little bit of rain adds up in the county, which is why officials are sending this warning.
“Anytime you’ve got standing water, you shouldn’t drive through it and take it from somebody who’s dumb enough to have done it. When I was young, I watched my Jeep kind of Bob down the river for a bit. You don’t know what’s under that. So don’t go through standing water,” said Terwilliger.
LIST: School closures due to possible impacts from Hurricane Debby
Some school districts are announcing closures ahead of Debby, which will bring the potential for lots of rain across the CSRA, especially in southern and eastern counties.
You can never overprepare in a situation like this.
“Particularly with water. I always worry about people having enough water. Most folks can go several days without food. Might not be comfortable, but you can do that, but water is a whole different issue. So, I’d encourage them to have water a gallon a day per person. Don’t forget your pets, although most pets will probably be able to find enough outside right at the moment,” said Terwilliger.
Officials want you to avoid driving on the roads if you can, as roads are already starting to saturate.
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