ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency in Georgia Tuesday with Tropical Storm Helene expected to make landfall along Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 3 hurricane Thursday night.
The fast-moving storm is expected to travel northeast into Georgia late Thursday or early Friday, producing damaging winds, four to eight inches of rain, and flooding across significant parts of the state.
Kemp’s executive order calls for deploying up to 500 Georgia National Guard troops to help with preparation, response, and recovery efforts.
Federal rules and regulations limiting operating hours for commercial truck drivers will be suspended to let an uninterrupted supply of goods and services be dispatched to areas in need of assistance.
The executive order also prohibits price gouging on any goods or services needed for preparation, response, and recovery operations, including gasoline and diesel fuel.
The emergency declaration will run through Wednesday, Oct. 2, unless Kemp renews it.