Hurricane Dorian
Thank you to our emergency officials and first responders who prepared our area for Hurricane Dorian. 

To receive updates on power outages following this storm or in the future, please click here to visit the Georgia Power Storm Center. If you need any other assistance, please don't hesitate to contact our office in Savannah at 912-352-0101. 

We continue to pray for those who were severely impacted by the storm in other areas. If you're concerned about U.S. citizens traveling in the Bahamas, please contact the U.S. State Department Office of Overseas Citizens Services at 1-888-407-4747 or click here

VETERANS EXPO Rescheduled
REMINDER: My Veterans Expo has been rescheduled to Wednesday, October 2nd and I look forward to seeing you there! 

The Veterans Expo brings together Veterans Service Organizations, the local community and the Department of Veterans Affairs to offer information and assistance to those in need.



Opioid Grant for the state of georgia
This week, President Trump and the administration announced a nearly $20 million grant for the state of Georgia to support opioid abuse prevention, treatment and recovery services. It is a continuation of our work in Congress to pass the SUPPORT Act and approve more than $10 billion in funding directed to fighting the epidemic in 2018. 

According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, America is seeing the first drop in overdose deaths in more than two decades. It is critical that we continue to deliver assistance directly to state and local communities so they are able to provide the health care services needed to save lives.

From our Nation's Capitol CCXXXII
Monday, September 2, 2019:  What’s in a name? Lots, if it’s a hurricane named Dorian.  While we’ve been hearing about this storm for the past week or so, I had my first conference call with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) yesterday afternoon.  Because I represent the entire coast of Georgia in the House of Representatives, the call was for myself, our two U.S. Senators and our staff to bring us up to date on the storm.  Included in our call was the projected growth and path of the storm as well as information on the emergency preparedness being put into action for the State of Georgia.  Late last week, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp requested an emergency declaration from President Trump through FEMA requesting debris removal and emergency protective measures for 12 counties in the First District.  That emergency declaration was authorized by the President yesterday.  This morning, Gov. Kemp issued a mandatory evacuation order for the Georgia coast covering areas east of I-95 in the six coastal counties and also announced the start of contraflow of traffic on I-16 starting at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. 

Rep. Carter meets with Liberty and Bryan County EMA workers
Along with other elected officials and emergency management personnel in the area, I join Gov. Kemp this morning as he has traveled to the Chatham County Commission offices in Savannah for a meeting and press conference to bring us up to date on the storm and plans for the coast. A link to coverage of this press conference can be found here.  Dorian has been upgraded to a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph and is currently stalled over the Bahamas with little to no movement.  The projected track of this very dangerous storm is north to northwest raising the real possibility that it could hit the coast of Georgia in the next few days.  While high winds and heavy rain are certainly a concern, currently we are experiencing a new moon causing high tides that, in combination with the expected storm surge, could be devastating to the coastal areas.  After the 11:00 a.m. press conference in Savannah I follow Gov. Kemp to Brunswick in Glynn County and join other elected officials and emergency management personnel from adjoining counties for a meeting and press conference for an update on the storm. 
 
Tuesday, September 3, 2019:  Dorian remains stalled over the Bahamas this morning moving at a snail’s pace and battering the tropical island.  Although the winds have decreased some, Dorian remains a category 5 hurricane and has garnered the attention of the entire nation, particularly President Trump who canceled a weekend visit to Poland to plan for the potentially catastrophic storm that could affect more than 20 million Americans.  I’m on the radio this morning with my good friends Bill Edwards and Laura Anderson with NewsRadio WTKS in Savannah as we discuss the storm and the emergency preparedness along the coast.  Later in the day I attend a press conference at Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens in Savannah with CEMA and other elected officials as we update the public on the storm and emergency efforts.  A link to coverage of this press conference can be found here

Rep. Carter speaks at the CEMA press conference
Afterwards, I head back home to Pooler where I have a conference call with the Republican Whip Team to discuss our agenda in the House next week when we return to Washington.  Next, I have a conference call with FEMA officials and members of the Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina congressional delegations to discuss potential impacts of the storm as its current expected track takes it up the Eastern Seaboard.  Afterwards, I head to Richmond Hill in Bryan County where I meet with Mayor Russ Carpenter, other elected officials and emergency management personnel to discuss their preparedness plans.  As the evening progresses Dorian is finally moving, albeit slowly, along its projected north to northwest track, giving the battered Bahama Islands much needed relief and skirting the Florida coastline.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019:  With slow moving Dorian moving up the Florida coastline, we in Coastal Georgia prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  The only thing predictable about hurricanes is that they are unpredictable.  They also wobble a lot.  In the case of Dorian, a wobble of 20 miles west of its projected track could prove to be devastating for the coast of Georgia.  I’m back on the radio this morning as I’m on with my good friend Scott Ryfun with WGIG Straight Talk radio in Brunswick as we discuss the pending storm that will probably impact Camden and Glynn Counties late this afternoon. 

Rep. Carter Speaks at another CEMA press conference
Afterwards, I head to CEMA headquarters in Savannah for another press conference with officials from Chatham County to bring everyone up to date on Dorian.  A link to coverage of this press conference can be found here.  Next, I have a phone interview with CNN to talk about the pending storm.  A link to that interview can be found here.  Early in the afternoon, I have a phone interview with Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) to discuss the storm. Afterwards, I have a conference call with FEMA and congressional members from North Carolina and South Carolina to discuss preparations for the storm.  My final interview of the day is a live phone interview on Fox Business’s Bears & Bulls where I discuss the storm. As the day ends, the southern portion of the coast of Georgia is now being impacted by Dorian with the expected arrival to Savannah and Chatham County to be during the early morning hours of tomorrow.  While the southern portion of Georgia’s coast was fortunate that the brunt of the storm hit at low tide, the northern portion of the coast is particularly concerned with the potential storm surge during an expected 1:20 a.m. high tide tomorrow morning.  

Thursday, September 5, 2019:  As to be expected, many of us didn’t sleep much last night.  However, we awake from whatever sleep we did get with a giant sigh of relief as the worst of the storm is now north-northeast of us and the impact has been minimal.  The feared storm surge combined with the early morning high tide never transpired, rain was not as heavy as expected and wind surges caused minimum damage.  All in all, we were extremely lucky.  As I gather at CEMA headquarters in Savannah with other officials for our last press conference dealing with Dorian, I am extremely grateful for the outstanding work performed by emergency management officials up and down the coast of Georgia.  The commitment and dedication of these great professionals from Camden to Chatham and everywhere in between is truly remarkable. 

Rep. Carter assesses coastal damage from Dorian with Mayor Eddie DeLoach
After the press conference, a link to coverage can be found here, I head to Hunter Army Airfield where I join Savannah Mayor Eddie Deloach, Hinesville Mayor Allen Brown, 3rd ID Commanding Officer Major General Tony Aguto and others for a helicopter flyover of Chatham, Bryan and Liberty Counties to assess the damage to the area.  Thankfully, except for power outages on some of the barrier islands, damage is minimal. 
 
Friday, September 6, 2019: I’m on my way to the southern portion of the district this morning to visit Jekyll Island in Glynn County and on the way I call into NewsRadio WTKS in Savannah to wish my good friend Laura Anderson a fond goodbye as she is broadcasting for the final time today after 21 years on the air in Savannah.  We will miss you Laura! 

Rep. Carter visits Jekyll Island with Authority Executive Director Hooks
Once we arrive on Jekyll Island, we review with Authority Executive Director Jones Hooks and his staff details of the revetment project they have underway on the shoreline.  Afterwards, we tour the project and are relieved to see that there has been minimal to no damage to the project as a result of Hurricane Dorian.  Next, I head to McIntosh County where we meet with Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Director Ty Poppell and other county officials for a debriefing on the hurricane.  Like other EMA’s up and down the coast of Georgia, McIntosh did an outstanding job of preparing for the worse-case scenario.  Afterwards, I head to Richmond Hill in Bryan County where I join Richmond Hill Mayor Russ Carpenter, Bryan County Commission Chairman Carter Infinger and other elected officials as we honor the emergency management personnel and other workers with a thank you lunch.  I simply cannot say enough about the great work done this week by all emergency personnel in Coastal Georgia.  WE THANK YOU!   

 
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