Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul is urging residents to stay home and off the city’s roads on Sept. 12 if possible as overwhelmed repair crews and public safety workers deal with Tropical Storm Irma’s debris.
The city is closing its offices on Sept. 12 and is “encouraging other businesses within the city to do the same,” according to a press release.
Paul issued a statement on Facebook during the Sept. 11 storm asking people to stay off the roads until at least midday, but the city quickly followed up with a more strongly worded statement urging everyone stay home for the entire day.
“We need the public’s patience, and I’m strongly asking and urging people to stay off the roads in Sandy Springs Tuesday,” Paul said in the city press release. “People trying to traverse our city will severely complicate our situation and cause real public safety problems, both to themselves and our crews.”
At around 9 p.m. during the storm, the city had more than 40 reports of fallen trees, downed wires or other problems, according to lists posted on city social media and by members of the City Council. More than 30 roads were at least partly closed, according to the city, with no timeline for reopening them.
Paul said Georgia Power Co. will not begin electricity repairs until the storm ends, and meanwhile is so overwhelmed with service calls that the city cannot get its own reports through.
On the public safety side, Paul said the city is running out of road-blocking barricades for fallen trees and wires, and many people could find themselves trapped on streets in the morning.
40 down trees and 30 streets just doesn’t sound like a lot considering the event. Sandy Springs – a tree city – should be better prepared to deal with fallen trees. No timeline is really inexcusable.