Volunteers unload supplies at the American Red Cross resource site Sunday afternoon. Families in need of clean-up supplies and meals reported to the Valdosta Cinema parking lot for assistance following Hurricane Idalia.

VALDOSTA — Top state leaders visited Valdosta Friday and Sunday to show support for local residents following Hurricane Idalia.

Kemp leads team on Friday

Gov. Brian Kemp was scheduled to tour several counties surrounding Lowndes and the City of Valdosta early Friday morning but due to weather that plan did not occur. Although he did not see the overall physical impact, Kemp spoke to local residents who were present during the storm.

“I know a lot of people in Valdosta. I have for a very long time, and the people here, many of them (are) telling me this is the worst storm ever in their lifetime,” he said. “We’re thankful this storm was narrow. We’re thankful that this storm was fast moving but we’re not thankful that we had a hurricane in the state of Georgia.”

One fatality was reported in Hurricane Idalia’s aftermath. People were cutting up a fallen tree blocking Bemiss Road in Valdosta. Another tree fell, killing one person and seriously injuring another.

Kemp announced that he formally requested assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency early Friday morning. The request will allow the start of individual damage requests. Requesters should expect the fulfillment process to be gradual as the state wants to ensure the requests are completed accurately.

James Stallings, Georgia Emergency Management director, said, “We are in this fight with this local community and the rest of them that were affected by the storm for the duration. We still have a lot of work to do, and we’re going to be here and help get it done.”

The pecan industry located within the hurricane impact zone took a significant hit, according to Tyler Harper, the state’s commissioner of agriculture. A little more than 13,000 businesses ranging from convenience stores, gas stations, meat facilities and even livestock and poultry farms were impacted.

Harper said, “My message to our producers is to document and report. Take pictures and ensure that you’re documenting that you’re getting that information to the appropriate folks.”

The Georgia Department of Agriculture has created an email for individuals to report damage. Those reports should be sent to idalia@agr.georgia.gov. Harper said an online forum will be created in the near future to streamline the reporting process.

He said all animal injury requirements are suspended into the state of Georgia through the end of September, to help anybody out in the state of Florida, and to ensure that the animals are taken care of.

Senators tour on Sunday

United States Senators Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock addressed federal relief and heard from local officials about rebuilding efforts as they toured the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia in Valdosta-Lowndes County Sunday afternoon.

Ossoff and Warnock’s tour began at the Second Harvest Food Bank in Valdosta. The South Georgia location’s Chief Executive Frank Richards said the location has provided more than 10,000 meals in three days, 84,000 waters and 30,000 tarps to local community members through partner organizations in need.

“As an organization at Second Harvest, we’re really concentrating on the long-term recovery of the needs for our community. In the coming weeks, a lot of things will go away, but our families will still be here feeling the financial impact,” Richards said.

Warnock told local officials that the community was in his prayers, and he acknowledged the importance of viewing the hurricane’s impact firsthand.

He also announced that both he and Ossoff had contacted the White House regarding federal relief. That contact Warnock referred to was a joint letter addressed to President Joe Biden written on Aug. 31.

The letter reads, “According to state and Federal officials, as well as local reports, the damage in many Georgia communities, including Valdosta, Georgia in Lowndes County among other areas, is of such severity and magnitude that effective response may be beyond the capabilities of the state and affected local governments.”

“Based on the severity of the damage to many southern Georgia communities, and the extensive need in affected areas, if the Governor of Georgia requests federal assistance we encourage your team to move quickly to support Georgians impacted by this deadly storm,” it concluded.

The senators continued their tour of the town and later stopped at the Red Cross Resource Site, located at the Valdosta Cinema Parking Lot, 1680 Baytree Road. At the site, the senators spoke with volunteers and local residents about the impact.

“We were struck by the amount of damage done to this community. In the midst of this devastation one of the things that was inspiring is we saw neighbors banding together,” Warnock said.

Ossoff agreed, stating, “We’re here with you and for you through the long haul.”