Hard-hit Rabun County continuing to recover from winter storm

CLAYTON — An army of utility crews continues to clean up and restore power from Friday's winter storm in Rabun County.

Georgia Power and contract crews set up base camp in parking lots at The Home Depot and Walmart, where they receive instructions and respond to the next assignment.

Habersham Electric Membership Corp. on Saturday restored power to its Rabun County members.

The Rabun County Road Department is continuing its work to clear county roads. Because temperatures are expected to dip as low as 15 Saturday night and salt doesn't melt ice at temperatures that low, the road department will be back out Sunday morning working to clear roads.

Volunteers from Rabun County Emergency Management Agency/Search and Rescue started working Friday morning to respond to calls for service, and to assist other agencies with clearing downed trees.

Additionally, most of the county's fire departments were staffed by volunteers, who responded to calls and also assisted with clearing downed trees from roads.

County officials estimate there were some 100 trees down across Rabun County, and about 2,800 customers without power at the peak.

Early Saturday night, Georgia Department of Transportation had at least three plows working to continue making improvements to driving conditions on U.S. 441 in Rabun County.

Side roads and secondary highways remain treacherous and any moisture still on the ground overnight is expected to freeze.

Officials say those who must travel in Rabun County overnight Saturday should exercise extreme caution.

This vantage point, from just off U.S. 441 near Tiger, shows more than a half dozen trees that fell during the winter storm.

A Rabun County Fire Department truck heads up U.S. 441 near Rabun County High School Saturday afternoon.

A plow truck works to clear the parking lot at the Rabun County Board of Education office and Mountain Education Center campus in Tiger on Saturday.

Linemen from Georgia Power Co. and contractors await assignment from a base camp at The Home Depot in Clayton Saturday.

Utility contractors stage on the south end of Old 441 in Rabun County awaiting assignment Saturday.

Residents at one Tiger home built a snowman that seemingly waves to utility workers passing by.

Ice and snow accumulations remain on power and phone lines in Rabun County on Saturday.

U.S. 441 through Rabun County was in better shape than a majority of roads in the county Saturday. GDOT trucks returned early Saturday night for additional treatment of the road.

Georgia Power Co. traveled to Rabun County with its own fuel truck, security personnel and personnel buses and vans to work on restoration efforts.

Rabun County Road Department personnel and Rabun County Search and Rescue volunteers have worked around the clock to clear downed trees from roadways in the county.

A Georgia Power Co. bucket truck heads up U.S. 441 in Clayton Saturday.

While the road through downtown Clayton was cleared, most side streets and parking lots remain covered in ice and snow.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2016/1/364754/hard-hit-rabun-county-continuing-to-recover-from-winter-storm