08/19/2025
On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, C.J. Worden, the Deputy EMA Director for Toombs County, GA, spoke to us about Hurricane Helene and its impact before, during, and after it struck Toombs County and much of Georgia on September 25, 2024. He was joined by Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper, new City Councilman Ronald Miller, and Toombs County Manager John Jones.
Mr. Worden worked with Georgia Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security (GEMA/HS) for several years before serving as Oconee County’s EMA Director. Following Hurricane Helene, began to serve as Toombs County’s Deputy EMA Director. He began his talk with a light-hearted comment, saying he subscribes to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt philosophy of public speaking, which teaches, 'Be brief, Be sincere, and Be seated.'
C.J. began his response to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene by traveling to Coffee County at the request of GEMA/HS and was subsequently called to Vidalia and Toombs County, where he arrived to find no electricity, no water, and no working city wells.
He walked us through the steps it took to stabilize our community. On the first day, water was the main concern, and many thanked First Baptist Church of Vidalia, Pastor Chad Ritchie, Pastor Scott Morris, the congregation, and volunteers for their help. The church became the hub for water, meals, and supplies. Church members cooked food from their freezers to feed everyone. On the second day, law enforcement and state partners worked together to address traffic and looting. By the third day, fuel was running low, but after a call to GEMA/HS to beg for any help with fuel we could get, supplies arrived just in time, though price gouging became an issue. On the fourth day, the old John Deere building was identified as a great location to distribute food and supplies. By the fifth day, an amazing number of local volunteers stepped up. The military came to help, Superintendent Barry Waller provided resources, and Phyllis Fredrick organized volunteers. C.J., alongside the local leaders in Toombs County, coordinated the delivery of tarps, meals, water, and ice. State officials, school buses, and the United Cajun Navy from New York also provided support. By the tenth day, the community began to see some semblance of a return to normalcy.
Donations came in from many places, including Wal-Mart, local gas stations, and Crider Poultry Inc. Looks Great Debris Removal, working with FEMA, began clearing debris. They worked in the area for ten months and removed two million cubic yards of debris.
Deputy EMA Director for Toombs County, GA, C.J. Worden, mentioned an upcoming Hazard Mitigation Plan Update meeting for the City of Vidalia, Lyons, and Santa Claus, on August 28, September 24, and October 23, 2025, at Vidalia City Hall from 10am-2pm.
City of Vidalia Mayor Doug Roper commended C.J. Worden, saying, “He is a Godsend; he helped us get things done.”
For more information or questions, contact: C.J. Worden, Deputy EMA Director, Toombs County , GA, at cj.worden@erassist.com
