Augusta prepares for potential weather as city reviews emergency plans

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The city of Augusta is preparing for a potentially significant ice storm this weekend, with officials holding multiple planning calls and reviewing emergency protocols.

Mayor Garnett Johnson said the city has had multiple calls with the National Weather Service and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, with more planning calls scheduled.

Johnson said it will likely be another 12 to 16 hours before the city lays out a concrete plan or decides whether to activate its Emergency Operations Center, where multiple departments and agencies coordinate response efforts.

Emergency response levels

Augusta’s Emergency Operations Plan, last updated in December 2020, outlines how the county should respond to winter weather. The plan draws on lessons learned from the 2014 ice storm.

The plan establishes three levels of Emergency Operations Center activation. At the lowest level, the city monitors weather and checks in with agencies. The middle level brings more departments in and starts moving crews around. The highest level is an all-hands-on-deck response.

Preparation recommendations

Augusta’s Emergency Management Agency director advised residents to charge their devices and get battery packs. She also recommended closing off any drafts in homes and leaving faucets dripping at night.

Regional preparations

Aiken County will hold a news conference on Thursday at its Emergency Operations Center to discuss its plans. Officials in Burke County, McDuffie County and Columbia County have not yet released their preparation plans.

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