President Joe Biden has approved federal funding for Richmond County’s hurricane relief and recovery efforts, announced Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson Tuesday afternoon during the city’s latest daily post-Helene press briefing at the Augusta Utilities building on Walker Street.
“FEMA is on the ground in Augusta Richmond County,” the mayor made sure to emphasize when telling media that several hours prior, the city had been declared a FEMA disaster area, and that teams from the agency had been dispatched throughout the city.
Johnson did note that as the disaster area designation is so recent, the system through which Richmond County citizens can get information on federal relief is currently “in its very infancy,” but he expressed confidence that FEMA would make sure locals have access to the proper forms to apply for those resources. The federal monies include “grants for temporary housing, home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs” to aid in recovery for individuals and businesses.
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The mayor also noted that the city has Georgia National Guard strike teams on call to aid people in remote locations or severely devastated areas unable to leave their homes due to storm debris, advising those in need to call 311 if they need of such assistance.
He also stressed that these teams are for those “under extreme circumstances,” such as for those who are elderly or otherwise unable to send for help or assistance to retrieve water and other supplies, and urged that those who are trapped and able to seek alternative means to acquire resources to do so, so as not to overwhelm the 311 dispatch or the strike teams.
Fire Chief Antonio Burden provided several updates, including that the city was able to restore power and oxygen to the Barclay House of Augusta, an assisted living facility on Frazier Court, that 10 potable water tankers were operating throughout the city, with another 100,000 bottles of water en route, and that the city was able to dispatch a water tanker to the VA Hospital “within 20 minutes” to avert a crisis.
Potable water sites include Diamond Lakes, Blythe Recreational Center (3129 Patterson Road in Blythe), Warren Baptist Church (3203 Washington Road), the Aquatic Center (3157 Damascus Road), Southgate Plaza, the old railroad depot (511 Reynolds St.) and Blythe City Hall (294 Church St., in Blythe).
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Burden advised those running power generators to make sure to do so outside of their homes and that the generators are well-ventilated. Those using grills should do so at least 25 feet away from their homes. He also urged citizens to not burn any storm debris, but rather push it to their front yards to be picked up by FEMA or disaster relief workers.
Central EMS Chief Burden said currently has 16 medical units operating throughout Augusta with three to four squads operating every day to relieve impact on local hospitals. As well, by Wednesday, 8,000 linemen are expected to arrive to help restore power to local compressed natural gas (CNG) stations, “which is critical in our waste management efforts that will allow those vehicles to be back in the community picking up trash.”
Augustans are also allowed to bring up to five bags of trash to the landfill at no charge Mayor Johnson said. He noted that this provision is only for household trash and not debris, lest the persons bringing the debris be charged.
The Red Cross was scheduled to send another mobile feeding truck to Augusta at 6 p.m. Tuesday, at the HUB for Community Innovation on Chafee Avenue, and will deliver food on Wednesday street by street in the Harrisburg/Paine College area.
Shelters are currently operating at the Henry Brigham Community Center (2463 Golden Camp Road) and the May Park Recreation Center (622 4th St.), open and accepting “anyone who needs shelter,” the mayor said.
The boiled water advisory is still in effect, and Johnson estimated it would be for another 24 to 48 hours from Monday; as is the 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. curfew, amid several malfunctioning traffic signals.
City Administrator Tameka Allen told the public that “there will be no penalties, or anything assessed to the respective tax bills,” and that residents also need not worry about being unable to pay utility bills or any other bills to Augusta.
“Do know that we’re going to work with each and every one of our citizens who may be experiencing something during this time,” said Allen, and that further information regarding tax collection would be posted online by the tax commissioner’s office, and will also be available at augustaga.gov.
Skyler Q. Andrews is a staff reporter covering business for The Augusta Press. Reach him at skyler@theaugustapress.com.
