Port Wentworth Declaration of Emergency
Hurricane Helene September 26, 2024

The City of Port Wentworth joins the State of Georgia and Chatham County, and other local cities in declaring an EMERGENCY for the incoming Hurricane Helene. Please take this weather event seriously, listen to all warnings and advisories, review your emergency plan with your family, and finalize your emergency supply kit.

The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for Chatham County through Friday at 1:30am and a Tornado WATCH in effect until 9pm Thursday. Citizens of Port Wentworth should be alert to any tornado sirens in the coming hours if a tornado is indicated. We have already received 1.5 inches of rain and are expecting another 2 to 4 inches. The storm is expected to move through the area quickly.

The City of Port Wentworth is taking Hurricane Helene seriously. We have mobilized our entire city to emergency staff levels. We are moving Police, Fire, and Public Works to 12-hour shifts with additional resources to support them. We have enacted our Emergency Operations Center and working closely with our County and State Emergency Management partners. City offices will close today at 1pm and remain closed until Monday morning. City events planned for Thursday through Sunday are cancelled. The city is providing sand and sandbags at two locations, Festival Site at 317 Cantyre St and Fire Station Two at 6781 SR 21.

Please do not attempt to drive or walk through flood waters. Please do not touch or approach any downed power lines and immediately call 911.

The Mayor, City Council, and the entire Port Wentworth staff wish everyone to stay safe during this storm. Please follow us and the Chatham Emergency Management Agency on social media for regular updates.