Hurricane Isaias: Kemp Issues State Of Emergency – Patch

Hurricane Isaias: Kemp Issues State Of Emergency  Patch

Gov. Brian Kemp urges residents to prepare for Hurricane Isaias, currently a Category 1 storm barreling toward the Southeast. Gov. Brian Kemp on Thursday afternoon issued a state of emergency due to the threat of Hurricane Isaias, set to hammer Georgia and other parts of the Southeast. Shortly after the order was issued, Isaias was upgraded to Category 2 status with 100 mph winds. A state of emergency permits the state to activate the Georgia Emergency Operations Plan and the Georgia State Operations Center, which Kemp has done. The order coexists with a previous state of emergency that is set to expire on Nov. 5 and was issued to suspend the state gas tax.

Additionally, up to 500 Georgia National Guard troops have been called for duty to help with preparation, response and recovery efforts, Kemp said. The order will expire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, if not extended. (See the full order.) "As we always do with weather events, we’re hoping for the best but preparing for the worst," he said. "I encourage all Georgians to take this storm seriously and prepare now by stocking up on food, batteries, flashlights, water and other necessities in case of severe weather impacting communities Friday night through Saturday." With Isaias set to make landfall and pound the Southeast, Georgia forecasters have