Oconee County Georgia Emergency Management Agency

10/09/2026

Do you know the official state bird of Georgia?

I’ll tell you what it’s not. It’s not the trampoline. Or your lawn furniture. It’s also not your mother in law or your chihuahua. For the extent of the weekend, please make sure none of these items take flight to your neighbor’s house.

The first person to correctly name the Georgia state bird wins a worn out toaster from my house.

10/08/2026

I know y’all are interested in following Isaias. So am I.

I have good news and bad news. Let’s get to it.

The good news is that Oconee County should only see ‘fly in the ointment’ levels of aggravation mostly confined to Saturday that include up to 3.5 inches of rain and 30 mph wind gusts. Expect this fun to begin overnight Friday and to end around Saturday midnight. You’ll be best served to find something to do inside such as play Checkers and watch UGA beat Alabama.

Speaking of UGA beating Alabama, if you go to the game and decide to hang out in the big city of Tuscaloosa, expect higher winds and more rain Saturday. That’s the bad news. However, conditions should start to improve around kickoff.

I don’t know the conditions around Tuscaloosa like I do Oconee. However, I can tell you that if you’re traveling for the game or staying home, you need to ensure that you have immediate access to sturdy shelter for the duration of the event. Never drive through standing water. Expect it to begin in the early morning hours of Saturday. I expect Isaias to move up through Alabama quickly.

I’ll let you know if I hear anything further.

Go Dawgs!

08/03/2026

If you have the experience and knowledge it takes and want to help shape a new EMS that will significantly enhance the quality of pre-hospital care in Oconee County, here's your opportunity.

Edited to update flyer with "Defined Contribution Matching."

Check out full job-posting and apply online: https://www.oconeecountyga.gov/Jobs.aspx?UniqueId=133&From=All&CommunityJobs=False&JobID=Emergency-Medical-Services-EMS-Superviso-154

07/22/2026

Short Version: IT'S GON RAIN

Longer Boring Version: Flash Flood Watch

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for portions of North Georgia from 8:00 PM tonight through midnight Friday night. The watch is expected to expand south on Thursday to include the I-20 corridor, including the Atlanta metro area, and continue through late Friday or early Saturday.

A stalled front combined with deep tropical moisture from Tropical Storm Bertha will bring repeated rounds of thunderstorms capable of producing very heavy rainfall. Storms may repeatedly move over the same locations, increasing the risk of flash flooding.

Impacts:
• Flash flooding of roads, low-lying areas, and poor drainage locations.
• Flooding may occur rapidly where heavy rain falls repeatedly over the same area.

06/18/2026

Apparently it's National Picnic Day. I'm not sure that's gonna work out. Unless you're a fish.

Drive carefully, turn your headlights on, and watch out for orange weeds that have taken over road shoulders all through Oconee County.

05/06/2026

This is a line of vehicles on the side of the road. They happen to belong to several Oconee County Volunteer Firefighters who gave up their evening to serve our fellow citizens.

We are fortunate to live and work in a special place filled with generous and giving people.

05/05/2026

We are thankful for the beginning of the Oconee County EMS and the work Jaron will do to make it successful!

Oconee County Government has appointed Jaron Queen as the county’s first Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Director tasked with leading the development of a county‑operated ambulance service. The launch of an in-house ambulance service reflects the county’s long‑term commitment to enhancing e...

03/15/2026

I’ve been on a webinar about the weather tomorrow, Monday, March 16, 2026.

Based on the latest information from the National Weather Service, it looks like all the crazy weather will make it south and east of I-85 at 7:00 AM with all threats taking place between 3:00-10:00 AM.

35 MPH wind gusts are expected with 15-20 MPH sustained. Expect tree limbs down with some power outages. If this occurs, road blockages could be likely prior to sunrise.

I appreciate a good insult to injury, and I know you do too. Soooo, as if the above is not enough, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings the temps will be in the 20s.

The worst thing about this event is that it will occur while most folks are asleep. While I don’t think anything will happen that is a threat to homes, please be aware that your dead trees and tree limbs could decide to come snuggle with you during crazy wind. And if any hail occurs, that new roof you’ve wanted for so long could become a reality.

02/05/2026

It’s foggy AF out. With that tidbit of news, I would like to ask of you a few things.

First, please don’t call us and report smoke in an area unless it’s actually smoke. We don’t mind checking on smoke, but we don’t need to check on fog.

Secondly, please slow down because visibility is reduced. Generally, low beam headlights work best instead of high beams. If you’re in a Jeep that only has the options of high beams or blinders, then proceed as you normally would.

This fog will go away and all will be well. We made it through ice and snow, so this shouldn’t be an issue. I promise you it’s not a real live version of The Mist.

Oh yeah, AF means A lot of Fog. This stuff is thick like it is in the mountains.

02/01/2026

Please note that Oconee County GEORGIA Schools will be in session on Monday February 2.

There’s another Oconee Schools that won’t be in session tomorrow. That is not us.

Oconee County Schools will operate on a normal schedule on Monday, February 2, 2026.

Thank you to the Oconee County crews for clearing roads and OCS maintenance and transportation staff for their hard work in preparing our campuses.

We look forward to seeing our students and staff on Monday.