Local, Georgia officials map out response plans as Hurricane Helene grows stronger

September 26th, 2024

Hurricane Helene is expected to maintain hurricane strength overnight when it reaches the Atlanta area. On Thursday morning, the storm was upgraded to a Category 2 storm as it moved across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, and it’s expected to be a wide Category 4 storm once it makes landfall in Florida as early as Thursday evening.

Right now, flash flood warnings have been extended up the coast into south-central Georgia. The governors of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas have all declared a state of emergency. Authorities expect widespread power outages, quick and intense wind and heavy rain. Multiple areas are under tornado warnings or watches.

Meanwhile, President Biden has approved Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s request for a Federal Emergency Declaration, which provides federal assistance for state and local response efforts. Georgia’s emergency management has activated hundreds of National Guard personnel ahead of the arrival of the storm, plus a staging area in Central Georgia to get resources where they’re needed quickly.

On Thursday’s edition of “Closer Look,” show host Rose Scott checks in with Terri Badour, the executive director of the American Red Cross of Georgia’s Greater Atlanta Chapter. Badour discusses how the Red Cross is responding and encourages everyone in the storm’s path to develop a safety plan.

In addition, supervising producer Tiffany Griffith gives updates on how the City of Atlanta is preparing, reports on the latest closures, and shares her perspective from the many hurricanes she has covered.