PACE 2A
THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2011
PUBLIC SAFETY
Prepare for winter's emergencies
GEMA encourages residents to resolve
to plan ahead in case storm strikes
From a crippling freeze to deadly
tornadoes, Georgians have experi
enced their share of severe weather
in 2011.
With the holiday season under way
and the end of the year approaching,
the Georgia Emergency Management
Agency/Homeland Security's
(GEMA) Ready Georgia campaign
is asking all residents, families and
businesses to make preparedness one
of their New Year’s resolutions.
From losing weight to kicking
smoking and reducing debt, many
individuals focus on a list of goals
each January designed to boost hap
piness and health throughout the
year.
Unfortunately, many fail to include
personal preparedness.
According to a 2011 survey con
ducted by GEMA, eight out of 10
Georgians admit that preparation,
planning and emergency supplies
will help them handle a large-scale
disaster, yet only one in 10 has taken
the necessary steps toward personal
preparedness.
“The damage caused by recent
disasters serves as an unfortunate
reminder of the importance of pre
paredness,” said Charley English,
director of GEMA/Homeland
Security. “As you gather with friends
and family to celebrate the holidays,
take the time to talk about prepared
ness. Make a resolution you can
keep and ring in the New Year with a
plan in place.”
To prepare for manmade or natural
disasters, follow three simple steps:
•Create a ready kit of emergency
supplies, including nonperishable
food, water, a NOAA all-hazards
weather radio and flash light with
extra batteries
•Develop a communications plan
to reconnect with family
•Stay informed about the types of
emergencies that can happen in your
area and appropriate responses
Visitors to Ready Georgia’s web
site, www.ready.ga.gov, can create
an online profile to receive a tai
lored plan for the entire family that
includes the specific amount of sup
plies to put in their household ready
kits.
They can also find local emergen
cy contact information, learn about
Georgia-specific disasters and read
preparedness testimonials from local
sports stars.
Employers can use the Ready
Your Business guide to create cus
tom contingency plans and children
can visit the ReadyKids page for
age-appropriate information, videos
and games.
For preparedness on the go,
families can also download Ready
Georgia’s free mobile app to learn
how to prepare for emergencies, cre
ate family communications plans
and more.
Research has revealed that individu
als aware of the Ready Georgia cam
paign are more than twice as likely to
be prepared for a large-scale emergen
cy as others — ultimately increasing
their chance of surviving a potentially
deadly storm and reconnecting with
loved ones after a disaster.
“Being prepared is the best defense
against the unexpected, so use this
opportunity to learn how to become
your own first responder during
emergency situations,” said English.
“Tornadoes, storms and floods can
devastate communities, but the dam
age can be minimized if we’re pre
pared.”
Highway fatalities decline
for fifth consecutive year
For the fifth consecutive
year, fatalities on Georgia
highways dropped substan
tially last year, according to
the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration and
the Georgia Department of
Transportation.
A total of 1,244 highway
deaths occurred in Georgia in
2010, according to statistics
finalized and published this
month.
That represents a decline
of 3.7 percent (48 deaths)
from 2009’s 1,292 total and
continues an improving trend
that began in 2006. Traffic
fatalities on Georgia roads
in 2010 were down 500
individuals from the record
1,744 deaths that occurred
in 2005. 2011 fatalities also
remain below 2010 numbers
through Monday, 62 fewer
than that date a year ago.
“While we wish no one was
ever even injured on our high
ways, we are most gratified
by this decline in fatalities,”
Georgia DOT Commissioner
Keith Golden said in a
statement. “This dramatic
improvement is a direct result
of the Department’s Strategic
Highway Safety Plan begun
in 2006. That plan features
data-driven emphasis areas
focused on such things as
affordable engineering solu
tions, enforcement, motor
cycle safety, seatbelt use, and
impaired driving.
“We’re concentrating on
raising public awareness and
also on engineering and con
struction improvements —
things like improved road
way drainage, center median
cable barriers, rumble strips
and driver recovery zones,”
he added. “They are mak
ing a difference and saving
lives.”
NEW VETERINARY BOARD MEMBER
Jeff Smith (left) stands with Gov. Nathan Deal after being named to the State Board of
Veterinary Medicine. Joining them are Smith’s wife, Kerith, and daughter, Jessica.
SANTA WAVES TO PASSERS-BY
Santa was in Homer on Friday before heading out on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts
to children. Santa could be spotted in downtown Homer waving to children and
visiting with those who stopped, as well as handing out chocolate treats.
Photo by Angela Gary
Lula City
Hall to be
closed Jan. 2
Lula City Hall will be closed
Monday, Jan. 2, in observance
of New Year’s Day.
The monthly council meeting
in January has been resched
uled from 7 p.m. on Monday,
Jan. 16, to 7 p.m. on Tuesday,
Jan. 17, due to the Martin
Luther King Jr. Holiday.
We Buy All
Gold & Silver
Cm.
Including:
Class Rings • Wedding Bands
• Coins • Broken Jewelry
• Dental Gold
Af<zuiesuiU&
770-532-2592
1020 Jesse Jewell Pkwy. • Gainesville, GA
Mon. - Thurs. 10-6:30 • Fri. - Sat. 10-7
Happy New Year from the
United Country Family!
Our team at
Community Partners
Realty and Auction
would like to wish
you a new year
of happiness and
prosperity.
Community Partners
Realty & Auction
678.963.5390
www.communitypartnersrealtyandauction.coni
Comer resident named
to state veterinary board
JeffW. Smith has been a dairy farmer since 1990
Jeff W. Smith has been
named to the state board of
veterinary medicine.
Smith has been a dairy
farmer since 1990. He serves
on the board of directors of the
American Dairy Association
of Georgia, the Georgia Dairy
Youth Foundation, the Georgia
Milk Producers, Inc. and the
Southeast Council of Dairy
Farmers of America.
Smith earned a bach
elor’s degree in Agriculture
Education from the University
of Georgia.
He and his wife, Kerith,
reside in Comer and have one
daughter, Jessica.
The Georgia State Board of
Veterinary Medicine is a six-
member board appointed by
the Governor to protect, pro
mote and preserve the public
The board is
composed of
five licensed,
practicing
veterinarians and
one consumer
member.
health, safety and welfare of
the citizens of Georgia.
The board is composed
of five licensed, practicing
veterinarians and one con
sumer member. They are
responsible for the regulation
of approximately licensed
veterinarians, veterinarian
technicians and faculty vet
erinarians in Georgia. The
board reviews applications,
administers examinations,
licenses qualified applicants
and regulates the practice of
licensees throughout the state.
Complaints are investigated
and, if warranted, disciplinary
action may be taken by the
Board.
FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH,
YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS!
Let your members know when your group is meeting!
Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date In...
• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
' JEFFERSON AREA
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
www.jaba-ga.org
Meets 3rd Thurs. • 11:45 a.m.
Community Bank & Trust Bldg.
71 Memorial Drive
Pilot Club of Jefferson
Meets 3rd Tuesday of
each month, 6:30pm
Jefferson City Club House
706-367-9313 or
706-693-4715 m
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer pa. 07/12
DISABLED AMERICAN
VETERANS & AUXILIARY
Joe Brown Conally, Chapter 2
meets 2nd Tuesday of each month
at 7:00 p.m.
1001 Winterville Rd. • Athens, GA
Watter Butler, Commander Pd. 5/12
ATHENS AMERICAN
LEGION
Ip 5 ' Post 20
Meets each 4th Tues., 6:30 p.m.
Coy Gibson, Post Commander
Home (706) 742-7975
pecogib@windstream.net pj 07/12
A UNITY LODGE
F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
Tom Hays *678-316-7492
Borders St. behind Tabo’s 260
St. Catherine Laboure
Catholic Mission
Mass Schedule: Fri. 9 a.m., Sat. 4:00 p.m.,
Sun. 11:00 a.m., Thurs. 12:10 p.m.
First Friday Adoration 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Website: www.stcatherinelabourega.org
706-367-7220 ™
JEFFERSON
^ AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 sto
THE MADISON COUNTY RETIRED
EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION
meets September - June on the second Tuesday
of the month at 11 a.m. at the Ila Restaurant in
Ila. There is no local meeting in July and August.
Troyce Ann Pawlowski, President
706-548-7996 nan
A ROCKWELL
W LODGE F& A.M.
/ V \ No. 191, Hoschton, GA
2nd Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. • Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
www.rockwelllodgel 91 .com
Two blocks behind Larry’s Garage
West Broad at Hall Street
13827
HUMANE SOCIETY OF JACKSON CO.
2011 Meeting date: November 8 at 7 p.m.
November meeting to be held at Braselton-Stover
House on Hwy. 53 in Braselton, Ga. Program: TBA
Light refreshments served. No Charge.
706-367-1111 •www.hsjc.com
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m.* (706) 367-0718
Ron King, President
° 547
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. *(706) 367-9349
Jimmy Mock, President 5+2
BANKS COUNTY
£“I AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 Pd.07/12
As BANKS COUNTY
E j AMERICAN LEGION
W AUXILIARY-Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In the American Legion Building
at 1350 Historic Homer Hwy.,
Homer, GA Pd.2/12
JACKSON COUNTY pi12,12
REPUBLICAN PARTY
Meets 2nd Sat. of each month
Doors open at 7:30 a.m.
Meeting starts promptly at 8:00 a.m.
Jefferson Clubhouse, 302 Longview
Drive, Jefferson - Everyone
welcome! www.JacksonGOP.org
