BRUNSWICK, Ga. — On Monday, Georgia Power crews worked to bring back electricity to over 10,000 customers in Brunswick, more than 72 hours after Helene swept through the area.
Driving through Brunswick, you'll see trees are down, traffic lights out and some residents spending the day on their front porch because being inside their homes without power has become unbearable.
“It’s hard without water, it's hard without power," Arell Hawkins, who went one day without power, said.
A tree on Hawkins’ street was still sitting on top of a power line Monday morning. He says power at his apartment was restored after a day without electricity, but some of his neighbors like Mike Simmons are still in the dark.
“My main concern, the elderly and the people that don’t have the resources to come out, don’t have the income or on fixed incomes around here and they’re losing their food," Simmons, who just got power back, said.
Across Brunswick as of Monday morning, over 10,000 Georgia Power customers are without power.
Officials with the company remind customers that in order to get power back as soon as possible, they need to check their home’s meter box for damage such as dents or exposed electrical parts.
“Georgia Power can not restore power to the meter box if it is damaged, the meter box itself is the responsibility of the homeowner. So just to expedite the process, if you see that your meter boxed is damaged go ahead and get an electrician out," Matthew Kent, a Georgia Power Spokesperson, said.
Glynn County officials opened up cooling and recharging stations in an effort to help neighbors get by until restoration is complete.
- Ballard Gymnasium at 30 Nimitz Drive in the days ahead from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. to serve as a cooling facility and provide phone charging services.
- City of Brunswick is also opening a cooling and recharging station to the public at Howard Coffin Park, 1402 Sonny Miller Way. It will be open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Georgia Power’s estimates that by 10 p.m. Monday, 95% of Brunswick customers will have power restored.