Albany Emergency Operations Center (EOC) opens ahead of Winter Storm

ALBANY, Ga. – As Southwest Georgia prepares for a rare Winter Storm, we sit down with Albany’s Fire Chief to talk about staying safe during a different kind of severe weather.

Chief Cedric Scott says the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been monitoring the winter storm, and they’re asking the public to treat this is a worst case possible situation.

“We are taking this very seriously and that they should also take it serious. Once we begin to see bad weather, we need to exercise a great deal of caution how we drive. Slow down. Don’t go out if you don’t have to…” said Chief Cedric Scott, Albany Fire Dept.

The threats don’t stop at snowfall accumulation either, as Chief Scott tells us what we can expect once the weather clears up…

And…. it’s not going to be like what we normally experience in hurricane season.

“This is not like a hurricane. This is this is going to be dealing with wind chills and very, very cold ice, rain, and really freezing rain… I want to say ice. It’s freezing rain that will be falling. And, then, of course, the anticipation too, of seeing actual snow,” said Chief Scott.

Chief Scott also wanted to address concerns in regards to possible power outages and the plan with Albany Utilities should they need to get involved.

“They (Albany Utilities) were, you know, making sure that they’re monitoring the situation and that they are prepared to deal with any outages that that may occur. We hope that certainly that does not happen…” said Chief Scott.

Above all, Chief Scott stressed during our interview that if you don’t need to be out on the roads, to stay home.

Chief Scott says you can contact Albany’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 229-302-1900.

Brian Roche reporting.

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