Time to hunker down with family and be safe

When it comes to preparation, we were encouraged this week when we saw county and city work crews out around town cleaning storm drains and working to mitigate the impact of this storm, which will be big regardless of how hard we get hit.

Hurricanes have always been a threat to Coastal Georgia, but for a long time, we watched comfortably from our homes as storm after storm merely brushed us from offshore.

Then Matthew came last year, and we saw how even an indirect hit from what had become a weaker hurricane can seriously impact our community.

Flooding from Irma could prove to be worse than what Matthew caused, which is why the hard work of public works and other agencies in the Golden Isles was so important this past week as we all watched Irma barreling across the Caribbean and turn north toward us.

With the storm’s arrival in the next few days imminent, we hope the work pays off and that we do not see the catastrophic damage about which we have been warned.

Either way, when the storm passes, those same hard-working folks, along with community members, first responders, utility crews and possibly the National Guard, will be back at it to clear the way and make it safe for area residents.

These efforts are integral to getting back to normal.

All the while, our thoughts and prayers are still with the folks in Texas and Louisiana still reeling from the devastating flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. The one-two punch of Harvey and Irma is a sober reminder that despite our best efforts to prepare and predict, we are still at the mercy of Mother Nature.

Our only option is to endure, recover and learn from each storm experience so that the next time, we can come back stronger, with a better vision for how to prepare and recover and with a renewed focus on what we can do better next time.

Meantime, be safe. Be smart.