Decatur County fire chief and emergency management director Charlie McCann updated the Bainbridge Lions Club Wednesday on the numerous precautions and safety activities he and his staff undertook during the recent Hurricane Michael disaster.

“Michael was a category three hurricane and caused a lot of damage,” McCann said in opening his comments. “It started out as a category three storm but by the time it came ashore it was up to a category four and it was only 90 miles from the coast.”

McCann said that he and his crews worked in conjunction with Miller County and Grady County crews.

“There were a lot of power lines and heavy tree limbs down in Bainbridge and Donalsonville,” McCann said in continuing his comments. “There were also a lot of damage to structure roofs. We had 70 emergency calls over a three-day period.”

McCann pointed out that the hurricane came ashore in and around Panama City Beach Florida, and wiped out numerous homes and cottages in that area and the Mexico Beach area which was also hit hard. McCann said that it should take quite some time for that area and the Mexico Beach rebuild and get back to some sense of normalcy.

McCann also pointed out that some of the most vulnerable people during any heavy storm are those who live in mobile homes.

“We contacted many mobile home dwellers when the storm was nearing and advised them to get to higher ground,” he said. “Some of the volunteers who were helping us were stationed at the Decatur County Industrial Park. We deeply appreciated their assistance.”