ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp confirmed the death toll from Hurricane Helene has continued to climb in Georgia, bringing the total number of lives lost to 33 people killed due to the storm.
“Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those who have just experienced this heartbreak and this tragedy, to the communities that are affected,” Kemp said. “I just ask all Georgians to continue keeping these citizens and their community in your thoughts and prayers.”
During a press conference Thursday morning, Kemp says the increase comes after three people recently lost their lives in Chatham County from carbon monoxide poisoning stemming from the use of a generator, urging the public to ensure their generators are far enough away from their homes.
Right before the press conference, Kemp said he had “just gotten off the phone” with President Joe Biden and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack ahead of their visit to the state.
While thanking them for visiting, Kemp also highlighted the impact of the federal government designating 41 counties as eligible for additional emergency assistance. However, he says many counties not on the list still feel additional resources are needed.
“I did tell him I felt certain he would hear on the road that there are a lot of counties expressing their frustration that they haven’t been added to that list,” Kemp said. “So he’s aware of that situation on the ground.”
But one of the most long-standing issues is getting the power back on in counties that were hit hard from the storm.
Kemp says that the high was, at one point, 1.3 million customers without power. But after staying stubbornly high at nearly 575,000 without power at the start of this week, there are now just under 270,000 meters still without power in Georgia.
“I know there’s a lot of people are frustrated out there, and I can certainly appreciate that,” Kemp said. “Marty and I felt that while we were on the road yesterday, but I also told them – this is unprecedented that we have dealt with.”
To support that, Kemp noted that the worst storm that Georgia's main power provider, Georgia Power, had previously dealt with required only 1,700 power poles to be replaced.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Kemp says Georgia Power has 8,000 power poles downed. That’s over 371% more poles needing to be replaced than in the previous worst storm in Georgia Power's history.
Georgia Power says they anticipate power will be restored to 90% of their customers by the end of Thursday.
That being said, some Electrical Membership Cooperatives, which typically serve smaller, more rural communities, are having to essentially start from scratch.
“They’re having to completely rebuild the network,” Kemp said. “The damage was so bad.”
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The press conference comes after Kemp criss-crossed the eastern part of Georgia, ranging from visits to Valdosta, Augusta and many areas of Central Georgia like Sandersville, Johnson County and Dublin.
He recounted the human stories of people killed — including two children killed by a falling tree in their Washington County home — and the first responders who had to step up to respond to these tragic scenes.
Along with thinking of the victims, Kemp encouraged the community to recognize the impact the storm had had on the first responders.
"It's a reminder for us to watch out for each other from a mental health perspective," Kemp said. "A lot of these people are working extremely long hours, putting themselves and their community ahead of their own families and homes with trees lying on them. Keep an eye on these individuals, make sure they are getting the help they need."
But during the recovery, Kemp says many everyday people have stepped up to help those in need.
"In every community we went to, you have everyday heroes that stepping up," Kemp said.
One church in the small town of Kite in Johnson County has mobilized to help the heavily battered community just months after getting off the ground.
"Divine intervention is some ways," Kemp said. "This little old church has been feeding 400 to 600 people a day, and two months ago, I don't think they existed."
A pastor prayed with the Kemp's when they visited Sandersville. An emergency management official in Baldwin County has offered his help and expertise to more hard-hit counties.
"But to hear the people telling these stories and doing this good work reminds you of what a resilient state we live in and just what good people we have," Kemp said.
But the road to recovery is still far from over.
Kemp says there are currently 2,000 members — out of the 2,500 authorized — of the Georgia National Guard deployed to help in the recovery efforts.
It's a recovery effort underway across the Southeast, stretching from Florida, to North Carolina, to Alabama to Tennessee.
“No one was spared in this storm,” Kemp said.