Deal meets with GDOT, GEMA on snowstorm response

ATLANTA - Gov. Nathan Deal says he will enter an executive order to empower the state's emergency management agency to coordinate across departments and improve Georgia's response to major storms like the one that crippled metro Atlanta last week.

Deal met with the head of GEMA, as well as transportation and public safety commissioners on Thursday to discuss lessons learned from last week's snow storm. He says the executive order could be in place as soon as Friday.

State and local officials faced criticism in the wake of the Jan. 9-10 storm, which dumped more than five inches of snow on much of the state, paralyzing Atlanta and nearly derailing Deal's inauguration.

Transportation Commissioner Vance Smith says his department is already looking at private contractors to assist state workers for an ice storm expected to hit early next week.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2011/1/235468