Flood Response Efforts: Monitoring, Sandbagging, and Mosquito Control in Chatham County

After recent flooding, various agencies and local authorities worked together to help the community. To keep track of the flooding, several assessment flights were done—at least four so far. These flights were important for checking water levels and seeing how they were affecting buildings. The videos from these flights were shared with emergency management teams, like the Chatham Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) and the Public Information Officers (PIOs). This information helped these teams make informed decisions about what to do as the water levels changed.

To prepare for the rising water, a team effort was made to get and spread sand around the county. The Army Corps of Engineers, along with Public Works, provided trucks and loaded them with sand. Altogether, about 110 yards of sand were given out across Chatham County so that people could fill sandbags to protect their homes. Along the Ogeechee River, 450 pre-made sandbags were also provided for residents to use as extra protection against the flooding.

Now that the floodwaters are going down, more assessment flights will be done to check the damage and help with recovery. But the focus is now on returning to normal, especially dealing with the growing mosquito problem. The recent rain has caused more mosquitoes to appear, especially near the Savannah River and the western parts of the county. The areas along the Ogeechee River have not seen a big rise in mosquitoes yet, but it is expected soon. As flood response slows down, the goal is to help the community get back to normal, making sure people can clean up without being bothered by mosquitoes.

Find out more about Chatham County Mosquito Control.