Kemp visits hurricane-affected communities; outlines state’s ongoing recovery efforts

This week, Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp visited several communities in Georgia that were affected by Hurricane Helene. The couple aimed to ensure that state resources were being effectively directed to those in need.

The tour took place on October 1 and 2, with the Governor and First Lady traveling to rural areas such as Berrien County, Coffee County, Jeff Davis County, Wheeler County, Laurens County, Johnson County, Washington County, Jefferson County, Glascock County, and McDuffie County. During these visits, they met with local emergency management officials and community leaders who are working on recovery efforts. They also listened to residents directly impacted by the storm.

Earlier on September 28, they toured Lowndes County along with GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings and General Dwayne Wilson of the Georgia National Guard. On September 30, they assessed damage in Richmond County and surrounding areas.

Governor Kemp has taken various actions to support recovery efforts statewide. On September 30, he requested an expedited emergency declaration from FEMA and authorized additional Georgia Guard troops for response efforts. The following day, he extended the state of emergency through October 9 for all counties in Georgia and urged FEMA to expand their disaster declaration.

Other measures include suspending enforcement of state penalties for using dyed diesel on public roads until October 31 and suspending the state motor and diesel fuel tax starting October 3. As a result of these efforts, FEMA agreed to cover 100% of cleanup costs for the first three months of recovery.

On October 3, Governor Kemp spoke with President Biden about adding more counties to the disaster declaration list. He also communicated with Secretary Vilsack and Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks regarding meal supplies.

These initiatives follow earlier actions by Governor Kemp leading up to Hurricane Helene's impact. A state of emergency was declared on September 24 for all counties in Georgia to facilitate storm preparation and response.