Preparations for Hurricane Helen began in earnest days before it made landfall and caused damage in four states. Friday morning, September 27, residents of Wadley and other areas of Jefferson County woke up to debris and power outages and a world that seemed straight out of a dystopian novel.

“We began following the EMA advisories on Monday, September 23,” said Wadley Mayor Harold Moore. “On Thursday, September 26, we were already dealing with flooding and storm damage, so we took to social media. The day before Hurricane Helene, I led a social media campaign to advising residents to take shelter, stock up on water and other necessary items and seek shelter.

Residents were worried just days before Helene’s arrival and Moore was certainly no exception. The damage to her home suddenly made her aware of the impact Hélène had had on her community.

“My first reaction was anxiety when I heard limbs crashing against the windows of my own house. Within seconds of thinking that, a tree crashed into my bedroom,” Moore said. “As I was securing my family and trying to get them to safety, a second tree fell into the kitchen, leaving debris and insulation everywhere. I immediately knew that this storm would have a devastating impact on the town of Wadley.

Seeing his own property damage and the impact on homes around his own neighborhood, he knew the town of Wadley, businesses and residents were sure to face tough days.

“Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 storm with rapidly advancing heavy rain and hurricane force winds. As a result, we saw downed trees, downed power lines, broken water pipes and other storm debris throughout the city, causing irreparable damage to homes and businesses,” Moore said.

Total damage figures are still being compiled and despite people’s differing views regarding the authorities’ institutional response, Moore was grateful for the way leaders at different levels stepped up and gave him access to resources. necessary to help its citizens.

“They were the lifeline of the town of Wadley because the whole town was chaotic. I was especially grateful to Governor Kemp, Senator Warnock and Max Burns, who offered help, hope, support and encouragement. It was so encouraging to know that they hadn’t forgotten about small rural areas like Jefferson County,” Moore said.

One of the most significant damages in the city was a broken water main, which left residents without water for more than 11 days.

Around this time, people also began assessing damage, filing insurance claims, and cleaning up trees and other debris.

“We will use the services that collect debris throughout the county, DTS, Inc. Residents are responsible for removing debris from their yards, and we have promoted the nonprofit group Christian Disaster Relief,” Moore said ,

Water service has been restored and the power outages are back on, but Wadley is still recovering from Helene.

“Among the greatest needs are fresh water and hot meals. In addition to the efforts of city and state officials, several individuals, churches and good Samaritans have volunteered to provide hot meals, cold water, cleaning supplies and fresh produce to local residents who are recovering from Hurricane Helene,” Moore said. said.

Many local government leaders are using the lessons they learned from the destruction caused by Hurricane Helen to prepare for future weather events.

“In an effort to prepare for future disasters, a more robust contingency plan is recommended to ensure the city is better prepared in the event something similar occurs in the future,” Moore said. “When the storm hit the town of Wadley, it was late at night and many people were unaware of the disaster unfolding around them. This is disheartening since people generally act on their experience. People don’t could never have imagined the extent of the damage we saw, which is why they had difficulty preparing for such a catastrophe.

This article was originally published on Augusta Chronicle: Wadley looking for Helene