Ice storm causes power outages, blocked roads
By Denise Etheridge and Carly Henderson
Winter Storm Fern delivered a historic whammy to White County this past weekend. Trees weighed down by ice toppled, bringing down power lines and blocking roads across the county.
At the peak of last weekend's ice storm, 80% of Habersham EMC customers were in the dark on Sunday afternoon, according to Bryan Ferguson, president and CEO.
Ferguson spoke during a live streamed storm briefing Tuesday afternoon.
“As of 8 a.m. this morning (Tuesday), we were still having additional outages and broken poles caused by falling trees,” he said.
Ferguson said 259 linemen were working in White County, including additional tree crews.
“We’ve worked 24/7 and we will continue to work 24/7 until we get all the power restored,” he said.
Ferguson explained that during switching, when electricity is detoured to an alternative circuit so that repairs can be completed, some people who previously had power might experience temporary power outages.
As of early Tuesday afternoon, more than 3,000 Habersham EMC customers in White County were still without power, and 380 Georgia Power customers still had outages.
An American Red Cross shelter was opened on Monday at White County Parks and Recreation off Asbestos Road. The shelter continued to serve people in need of a warm place to stay throughout the week.
“If you are without power and you don’t have adequate heat in your home and are in a life safety situation because of the prolonged cold, go to the shelter. That’s what it is there for,” said Deputy Director – EMA Division Chief Don Strength.
The White County School System announced school closures for Monday through Wednesday.
Public libraries and local government offices were also closed earlier this week.
The White County Senior Center remained closed through Wednesday, Jan. 28, for both on-site services and meal delivery to homebound clients but expected to reopen Thursday, Jan. 29.
As of Tuesday, weather forecasts predicted a possibility of light snow this coming weekend.
“We will have arctic air coming in on Friday night and into Saturday, with a possibility of freezing precipitation,” Strength said on Tuesday. “We’re not sure yet of what type of precipitation. It can change over the next three to four days. What I can tell you is that the cold temperatures are here to stay…they’re here to stay into the middle of next week.”
How bad was Winter Storm Fern?
The storm stretched from the west and midwest across the southeast and northward to New England. About a dozen people died as a result of the storm, either from subfreezing temperatures or from storm-related accidents. Initial news reports place nationwide storm damage in the billions.
Governor Brian P. Kemp declared a statewide State of Emergency ahead of the storm and even activated the National Guard.
Georgia Department of Transportation crews applied about 1.3 million gallons of brine, 1.6 million pounds of salt, and 3.5 million pounds of aggregate across the northern region of the state by Sunday, according to GDOT officials.
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources opened warming stations at state parks to stranded motorists and residents who lost power.
Businesses and churches also stepped up. Walmart and Convoy of Hope enlisted help from The Bridge Church in Cleveland and Cleveland First Baptist on Wednesday to distribute food,water, blankets and toiletries to people in need due to the ice storm.
Clyde views storm damage
U.S. Congressman Andrew Clyde visited White County Tuesday to view firsthand the damage left behind by the recent winter storm and to meet with local officials involved in response and recovery efforts.
During his visit, Clyde met with White County Public Safety and Emergency Management officials, county administration, and Board of Commissioners Chairman Travis Turner to discuss storm impacts, debris removal, and ongoing recovery operations. The visit included a stop at the Recreation Center at Yonah Preserve, where he toured shelter operations. Clyde also visited a work site where Georgia National Guard troops are assisting with recovery efforts across the county.
“We appreciate Congressman Clyde taking the time to come to White County and see the impacts of this storm firsthand,” Turner said. “His visit helps ensure that our federal partners have a clear understanding of what our community has faced and the work that still lies ahead as recovery continues.”
“This storm tested our community, but it also showed the strength of White County,” Public Safety Director David Murphy said. “Our responders, utility crews, and partner agencies worked around the clock to protect lives and restore services, and now we’re focused on helping residents move forward. Recovery doesn’t end when the storm passes, and we’ll continue working together to make sure our community has the support it needs.”