Savannah Standard

The City of Savannah is dealing with severe impacts from Hurricane Helene, including major debris, impassable roads, and power outages. Essential emergency services such as public safety, water and sewer, stormwater management, park and tree maintenance, and traffic engineering will operate at full capacity through the weekend.

The Sanitation Department is continuing regular yard waste pickup services while beginning debris removal operations. Given the large volume of debris, these operations are expected to extend into next week. Residents can dispose of debris themselves at Dean Forest Landfill or Bacon Park Transfer Station during regular hours.

City crews have completed damage assessments in 41 neighborhoods and plan to assess an additional 60 neighborhoods today.

Approximately 94,460 power outages remain, affecting 59% of the community. The City is collaborating with Georgia Power to clear downed trees and restore power promptly. Residents are advised not to approach downed power lines but instead call 911 or contact Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938 to report them. Power outage status updates are available at outagemap.georgiapower.com.

As of Saturday morning, assessments noted 32 blocked or impacted roads in Savannah. While some traffic signals have been restored, 130 out of the City's 280 traffic signals are still without power. Four City signals are in flash mode and another four are operating on generator power. Efforts are ongoing to restore all signals fully.

Drivers should treat non-operating stoplights as all-way stops and exercise caution on the roads.

The Tompkins Regional Center (2333 Ogeechee Rd.) will be open on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. as a temporary comfort/charging center for residents. The Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) will also open several locations until 7 p.m., including Tybee Island YMCA (204 54th St.), The Empowerment Center (4704 Augusta Road), and Compassion Christian Church (50 Al Henderson Blvd.) as cooling/charging stations.

On Sept. 27, the Savannah Police Department received 898 calls for service while the Savannah Fire Department received 476 calls and the City's Action Center received 275 calls.

Service requests can be submitted online at savannahga.gov/311request or via the SAV311 mobile app.

Residents using generators for power should read the manual carefully, refuel safely, use generators outside only, monitor carbon monoxide output closely, never leave generators running unattended, and keep them away from doors and windows.

Water Resources reports no significant issues with Savannah's drinking water supply system. The sewage system continues to function under a combination of generator and grid power without major issues reported.

For updates specific to Savannah regarding Hurricane Helene’s impact and recovery efforts, residents are encouraged to follow @cityofsavannah on social media platforms or visit savannahga.gov/stormhelene.