Newspaper Page Text
16
Tribune & Georgian
Thursday, September 14,2017
Irma
from page 2A
The combination of a
nor’easter off the Atlantic
coast, a full moon and high
tide caused minor flooding
on Sunday before the hur
ricane arrived. Wind and
waves came later, wreaking
havoc on the boats at the St.
Marys waterfront.
Floating docks from both
Lang’s Marina East and
West apparently broke free
from their tethers, sending
boats crashing into the Na
tional Park Service Visitor
Center property and into
the marsh just upriver from
Howard Gilman Memorial
Park. A large cabin cruiser
came to rest near the pa
vilion where Cumberland
Island visitors wait for trans
port.
Cumberland Island Na
tional Seashore has been
closed until further notice
while staff assess storm
damage. All camping reser
vations have been canceled
through Wednesday, Sept.
20.
On Monday after the
storm subsided, at least one
person in a life jacket could
be seen walking around the
pod of tangled boats in the
marsh at the St. Marys wa
terfront.
According to Lt. Shannon
Brock of the St. Marys Po
lice Department, there were
a few people who rode out
the storm on their boats.
Those that were anchored
out in the channel, away
from the marinas appeared
to fare the best.
Most of the ferry boats
from Lang’s Marina were
taken upriver for safe keep
ing during the storm, but
their docks have since been
destroyed. The ferries were
able to return Wednesday to
another dock.
Styrofoam from the er
rant docks disintegrated as
they churned against the
St. Marys riverbank, giving
St. Marys Street an oddly
“snow-covered” appearance.
In a moment of levity fol
lowing the storm, former
mayor Jerry Brandon, who
operates Riverview Hotel
at the waterfront, and some
friends built a snowman
from the white stuff after the
storm passed.
Also permeating the river
front was the smell of diesel,
presumably from the boats
that were lost in the storm.
You didn’t have to live
along the waterfront to be
affected by flooding. Drain
age systems in some low-ly
ing neighborhoods, such as
The Meadows, Lake Jordan,
Lake Wisteria, Summerfield,
Wolf Bay, Woodhaven and
May Creek in Kingsland,
were inundated by storm
water when the inches of
rain continued to fall.
Helping storm victims
Shelters have been set up
at local churches to help
those who were displaced
by the storm. Howard said
there were not a lot of peo
ple being served at the shel
ters right now. Many of the
storm victims have family
nearby they can stay with,
he said.
“As of yesterday, there
weren’t a whole lot of peo
ple using the shelters. When
people come back to town,
we may have some issues,”
Howard said, noting that
many evacuees don’t cur
rently know what conditions
their homes are in.
The county sent five buses
to the affected areas to trans
port them to available shel
ters and sent deputies and
officers with bullhorns to
seek out those who may have
still been inside the homes.
“We have a large military
population and they tend
to heed warnings and evac
uation orders pretty well,”
Howard said.
The county and cities may
have more demand for ser
vices as those people arrive
back in Camden.
Anyone needing help is
urged to call the Camden
County information line at
(912) 576-3800. Howard
said he is copied on those
calls and that line has helped
them provide aid or rescue
to several callers.
“I think we fared pretty
well overall,” Howard added.
Those who are using the
shelters are not likely to
go hungry. When Help
ing Hands Food Pantry
lost power in downtown St.
Marys, they had to find a
quick use for 500 pounds of
frozen meat. Some of it was
prepared to serve first-re
sponders and those displaced
by the storm.
The Salvation Army in St.
Marys also geared up this
week with its mobile canteen
and had several others from
outside of the area lined up
to arrive. The canteens are
stocked with fresh food and
drinks daily.
“We hope to send mul
tiple feeding units in the
coming days to support the
residents of each community
who need help and hope,”
said Sears. “Our love and
prayers go out to each per
son affected by Hurricane
Irma.”
Those who wish to sup
port their efforts can donate
online at helpsalvationarmy.
org, by calling 1-800-SAL-
ARMY or by texting
STORM to 51555. Normal
texting charges apply.
Although the grocery
stores are now opened, some
of them also suffered losses.
The St. Marys Winn-Dixie
had to dispose of its entire
stock of refrigerated and
frozen foods. And while per
ishable food was available at
some of those stores, many
shoppers did not have power
in their homes to refrigerate
or cook anything.
Safety first
Local governments are ad
vising citizens of the many
hidden dangers that still
exist because of the storm.
For example, those who
are using generators should
place them at least 20 feet
outside the home, and ga
rage, in a well-ventilated
area. Many also do not con
sider gas lines, which can be
damaged by fallen trees or
by vehicles driving over soft,
water-soaked ground.
Standing water also pres
ents a variety of hazards and
should be avoided. Downed
power lines can be hidden in
standing water, which pres
ents an electrocution hazard.
“Avoid walking or driv
ing through standing water
or letting children play in
standing water,” stated a re
lease from Kingsland Police
Department.
“Residents should always
exercise extreme caution
when leaving the home for
any reason.”
Although many residents
who stayed in Camden
are getting anxious being
cooped up in homes with
out electricity or other basic
needs, officials advise that
it is safer and wiser to stay
close to home for a few more
days.