Bulloch County Public Safety and EMA held a news conference on Sunday, September 29th at the Emergency Operations Center to discuss the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene and ongoing recovery efforts. Community leaders, emergency personnel, and utility representatives addressed the significant challenges faced by residents, while emphasizing unity and patience as the community recovers.
Dal Cannady, Bulloch County Communications Director opened the conference by acknowledging the severity of the situation: “This has been a devastating series of days here in Bulloch County. A lot of people are comparing this to the devastation of Hurricane Matthew, and in some ways, it has surpassed that.” He then introduced Tom Couch, Bulloch County Manager, who echoed the unprecedented nature of the event, stating, “It just seems like we were making a turn on Tropical Storm Debby, and now we have to contend with Helene.”
Bulloch County Commission Chairman Roy Thompson highlighted the difficulties faced in rural areas, humorously admitting he still hadn’t had a shower since the storm hit. He shared, “I’m 78 years old plus, and I can testify that this is the worst storm I believe that we have ever had in Bulloch County.”
Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar spoke on the city’s response and community resilience: “Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented storm, but I’m encouraged by the unprecedented kindness and unity that I’ve seen within our community.” He reassured residents that power restoration and debris removal are ongoing and asked those who can to help their neighbors.
Bulloch County Emergency Management Agency Director Corey Kemp provided insight into public safety response, revealing that over 2,000 emergency calls were handled in the last three days. Bulloch County Fire Chief Ben Tapley also emphasized generator safety, noting multiple accidents. “We need to be very vigilant when it comes to generator safety,” he warned, recounting a severe burn incident that sent a victim to Augusta’s burn center.
The conference shifted focus to power restoration efforts, with Greg Proctor, CEO of Excelsior EMC and Joel Hanner, Area Manager of Georgia Power providing detailed updates. Proctor noted that 100% of Excelsior’s customers initially lost power, and the company is now operating with over 400 line workers from multiple states. Hanner labeled the storm as “the most destructive hurricane in the history of our system,” and described the intricate process of restoring power admist blocked roads and damaged infrastructure. Proctor said that EMC customers could be without power for 7 to 10 days and Hanner said GPC customers should be restored by Thursday night.
Bulloch County Public Works Director Dink Butler described efforts to clear roads, stating, “Our issues are trees tied up in power lines across paved and dirt roads.” He stressed that public safety is a top priority and announced temporary rolling closures at solid waste collection centers to safely clear debris.
Schools were a key concern for many, and Bulloch County Schools Superintendent Charles Wilson announced that schools would remain closed through Tuesday. He acknowledged the impact on families and the challenge of resuming classes amid ongoing power outages and infrastructure repairs: “We will be making a decision about Wednesday and the remainder of this week by Tuesday at 3 o’clock.”
Georgia Southern University’s Director of Emergency Management, Erick Riner, reported that classes are canceled through October 1st. He assured the community that the university is actively working to restore power and address downed trees and debris.
Sheriff Noel Brown urged residents to stay calm and patient, recognizing the strain of the prolonged recovery: “Tempers get short... But we’ve got to stay calm and be respectful of others during times like this.” He emphasized that his deputies are working around the clock to keep the county safe and asked residents to be considerate of others.
DeWayne Grice, representing Bulloch County VOAD and local news service, Grice Connect, commended the community’s response, saying, “We’re operating on a little bit of sleep, and a lot of hope, and a lot of prayers... The thing that really is incredible is what an incredible community we live in and how the community has responded.” Grice called on local churches and organizations to continue supporting those in need.
Jonathan Smith of Pittman Park United Methodist Church announced that the church would be open for showers and meals for residents in need, and Don Pope of Feed the Boro shared that a major food drop is scheduled for Saturday morning, October 4th at Statesboro High School. He advised residents to discard spoiled food and expressed his hope that the community would come together to meet immediate needs.
As the press conference concluded, Cannady summed up the overarching message: “This is not a Statesboro problem. It’s not a county problem. This is a community problem. We ask for folks to look around, help your neighbors, be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.”
The path to recovery will be long, but community leaders are confident that Bulloch County’s resilience and solidarity will see them through.
Click here for Grice Connect's Hurricane Helene resource guide.
Click here to view all of Grice Connect's storm coverage.
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