Extra manpower keeps things moving
The Columbia County Sheriff's Office and area fire departments responded to Monday's ice storm by calling extra help.
About a dozen deputies and special operations officers came on duty for the Columbia County Sheriff's Office in addition to the dozen already on duty, said Capt. Steve Morris. All available personnel, including officers from the Community Services and Criminal Investigations divisions, were used where needed.
"(Mostly it was) directing traffic and standing by at dangerous intersections or dangerous locations, particularly where power lines were on the ground or trees and limbs across the road," Morris said.
The Martinez Fire Department stayed busy with more than 80 calls by 4 p.m., said dispatcher Capt. Robert Rosier.
The department called in an extra 28 off-duty paid and volunteer firefighters in addition to the 22 scheduled to handle the enormous number of calls, said Chief Doug Cooper. The workers answered calls using 15 vehicles.
Most calls were for downed power lines caused by falling trees and limbs. A few trees and limbs fell into roadways and onto homes.
"We had a couple of incidents, but nothing got out of hand," Cooper said.
A few fires did get out of hand Monday, including one on Spring Creek Road in Grovetown, possibly caused by icy power lines. The blaze gutted the home, but no one was injured, said Capt. Gary Owens of Grovetown Department of Public Safety.
In other county fires, no one was injured, Owens said.
Despite ice-laden limbs falling onto roads, streets never iced over and accidents were minimal, Morris said.
"Fortunately, the roads held up rather nicely," Morris said. "Our Road and Bridges Department did a fantastic job on our bridges and overpasses. We have been lucky. No major accidents, no injuries. All in all, it went well."