Winter Storm warning in effect

Forecasts are now calling for around a quarter inch of ice accumulation with northern Pike getting 1 to 2 inches of snow. Pike County is among the counties in the Winter Storm Warning area and is also one of the 79 counties for which Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency today (Jan. 6) ahead of the winter storm. Members of the Pike County Fire Department and Grady EMS are preparing for the inclement weather and will have a 24-hour truck stationed in Molena, Hollonville and Zebulon. Should the roads become impassible due to weather, all non-emergency EMS calls will be held until roads are cleared and EMS can safely transport the patients. As EMS calls come in, Pike County 911 operators will dispatch them to Grady. Grady will determine non-emergency or emergency and either hold the call (non-emergent) or respond (emergent). For calls that are held, a Grady representative will do a Patient Check-up Call to determine whether there are any changes in patient complaint. If the status of the patient changes Pike County first responders EMT B and above will be dispatched to assess patient, advise and/or assist Grady EMS.Pike is one of 79 counties in a declared state of emergency. Acting upon the recommendation of the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, Deal is ordering state agencies to prepare for up to four inches of snowfall. Deal is announcing the order today so that individuals and businesses in North and Central Georgia can prepare for the noon declaration and the winter storm itself. State government offices will remain open as usual tomorrow. ’I am issuing this executive order to implement protective measures to ensure the public health, preserve the safety of the public, keep property damage to a minimum and to minimize the social and economic impacts of this event on the citizens of Georgia,’ said Deal. ‘We will continue monitoring the forecast models and make appropriate adjustments as necessary. Georgians should stay calm, make the appropriate preparations and stay aware of a potential change in weather conditions.’ About the State of Emergency:· The Georgia Department of Transportation will begin treating roads and interstates this evening and will continue to do so throughout the day Friday.· Local governments and agencies are working with the state to prepare for the winter storm.· The state of emergency allocates resources to state and local agencies if needed. It does not close state government.· All decisions regarding school closures will be made at the local level. The 79 counties include Baldwin, Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Butts, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Fayette, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard, Henry, Jackson, Jasper, Jones, Lamar, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Rabun, Richmond, Rockdale, Spalding, Stephens, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Towns, Treutlen, Troup, Union, Upson, Walker, Walton, Warren, White, Whitfield and Wilkes.