Evacuations Ordered in Southeastern Georgia: 'Do Not Expect Us to Be There to Help You'

Stephanie Valera
Published: October 6,2016

Residents in southeastern Georgia worked frantically to protect homes and businesses along the coast just days before Hurricane Matthew was expected to hammer the area, and mandatory evacuations for six coastal counties were ordered as officials extended a hurricane warning to the state.
Gov. Nathan Deal ordered the mandatory evacuation of  Chatham, Bryan, Liberty, McIntosh, Glynn and Camden counties, which affect 500,000 residents. He also called for the voluntary evacuation of the 100,000 residents of low-lying areas west of Interstate 95.
(MORE: WATCH OUR CONTINUOUS LIVE COVERAGE ON THE WEATHER CHANNEL)
At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Deal urged residents to heed the evacuation orders. He said that while officials "will not drag anyone out of their house against their will," Mother Nature may "deliver the significance of that warning."
"Hurricane Matthew is a storm not to be messed with," Savannah Mayor Eddie DeLoach said Thursday. "If you decide to ride it out, do not expect us to be there to help you."

Shelters have opened in these six counties and Deal also activated 45 members of the Georgia National Guard to assist state and local public safety and transportation officials, according to a press release. "I urge Georgians in the affected areas to remain calm, be prepared and make informed, responsible decisions as we continue to monitor Hurricane Matthew’s path," he said.
Tybee Island officials announced Wednesday that all residents and visitors needed to leave the island as soon as possible because of the storm. The mandatory evacuation order went into effect Wednesday at 3 p.m. EDT.
"We have a house that sits right here on the water and we kind of said goodbye to it thinking that, you know, the house ... might not be here when we get back," St. Simons Island resident Jennifer Banker told the Associated Press. "You know, we pray a lot and trust God to provide."
(MORE: Track Hurricane Matthew)

In Savannah, residents packed hardware and grocery stores, stocking up on emergency supplies before the storm's expected arrival overnight Friday.
"There's definitely a heightened concern this time compared to (Hermine)," Savannah Home Depot employee April Blake told the Savannah Morning News. "That time it was mostly flashlights, batteries and that type of thing; this time it's all generators."
Although the Georgia coast is relatively small, it has had encounters with hurricanes in the past. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd made a close pass on the state's coastline, and residents are concerned Matthew could be far worse.
"I think this one might get us," Savannah resident Regina Eason told the Savannah Morning News. "I just hope it doesn't take everything like Hurricane Katrina ... I'll just make sure that I've got my pictures with me, I don't care about anything else but my pictures."
Chatham County Emergency Management posted evacuation routes for local travel to help those that were leaving. Evacuation routes from  County to inland areas have also been designated. They include GA 204, GA 21, U.S. 80, and Interstate 16. I-95, U.S. 17A and U.S. 17 (Southbound) are not designated evacuation routes outside the county.