WTXL, 19 July 2018,
Lowndes County holds open house to inform community on severe weather,

LOWNDES COUNTY, Fla. [sic: s.b. Georgia] (WALB)—Lowndes County
Emergency services personnel are preparing for an upcoming open
house to inform community members of possible severe weather that
could strike this season.

Still of Lowndes County EMA Director Ashley Tye from

Atlanta Journal-Constitution video 10 September 2017

When:
6-8PM, Thursday, July 26, 2018

Where:
250 Douglas St, Valdosta, GA 31601-5029

Event:
facebook

Join local emergency responders and Meteorologist Kerri Copello,
News Manager for WFXL/Fox 31, for a tour of the EOC and an
informational session on the 2018 Hurricane Season to include
preparedness information.

Lowndes County EOC facebook event cover picture

Ashley Tye, Lowndes County EMA Director, warning people before Hurricane Irma:

Atlanta Journal-Constitution video 10 September 2017

WTXL continued:

The goal is to prepare Lowndes citizens for potentially rough
weather in weeks to come.

Next week, people will be allowed to enter the Emergency Operation
Center to hear the forecast for several named storms that could
possibly impact the area.

One of the main features that went over well last year and will be
repeated this year, is the prep-item table.

It’s a physical display of all the items you can buy to help stay
safe and comfortable when storms hit.

Some background on other preparations by Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
Terry Richards, VDT, 1 June 2018,

Lowndes preps for hurricane season,

…Members of the Lowndes County Emergency Management Agency met
Thursday with local first responders and with a representative of
the National Weather Service who briefed everyone on storm
projections, said Paige Dukes, public information officer for the
county.

Dukes said 37 agencies that deal with weather emergencies attended
the meeting.

Valdosta is only about 80 miles from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico
and is often affected by storm systems in the Gulf.

The National Hurricane Center’s projection for the 2018 Atlantic
storm season, which includes the Gulf of Mexico, calls for a
near-normal to above-normal season, with a 70 percent likelihood of
10 to 16 named storms with winds of 39 miles per hour or higher, of
which five to nine could become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or
higher.

Of these, one to four could be major hurricanes, category 3, 4 or 5
— with winds of 111 mph or higher, according to forecasters….

Tropical Storm Alberto already caused

two sewage spills from Tifton, the biggest of 36,000 gallons,
and
Valdosta
spilled 300,000 gallons last month
without even a tropical storm to blame.
So preparing for a hurricane or tropical storm seems like a good idea.

-jsq

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