Georgia Coastal Health District

Preparing for a hurricane evacuation can be difficult for anyone, but for coastal residents with medical needs, physical disabilities, or limited transportation options, evacuation can present even greater challenges. The Coastal Health District encourages residents who may need evacuation assistance to apply now for the Hurricane Registry.

The Hurricane Registry is a confidential list of residents who may require transportation assistance during a hurricane evacuation. Coastal Georgia health departments work closely with local emergency management agencies to coordinate evacuations for registered individuals when there is a significant threat from a hurricane.

You cannot wait until a storm is approaching to apply – you must apply in advance so emergency managers can arrange for transportation assistance before a storm arrives. Applications for the Hurricane Registry are accepted all year.

You can apply for the Hurricane Registry in one of two ways:

• Residents of Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, and McIntosh County can call toll-free to 1-833-CHD-REGISTRY (1-833-243-7344). A representative will take some basic information and then your local health department will follow up with you to complete the application.
• Visit our Hurricane Registry web page to download an application. Once completed, the application should be mailed or hand-delivered to your local county health department.

Examples of qualifying conditions include individuals with no transportation access and:

• who need assistance with activities of daily living like eating, taking medication, dressing, bathing, communicating, transferring from bed to chair, and toileting.
• who require life-saving medical support such as IV medication, tube feeding, dialysis and supplemental oxygen, and power-dependent equipment.

For more information about the Coastal Health District’s Hurricane Registry, visit our Hurricane Registry web page.

–> Haga clic aquí para obtener información en español.

Wildfire smoke can be harmful to your health, particularly if you have asthma or other lung diseases. As wildfires continue to burn in our region, here are two federal resources for air quality information.

U.S. Interagency Wildland Fire Air Quality Response Program

• At outlooks.airfire.org, you can click on a specific fire and see the regional smoke outlook for that day and the next.

Environmental Protection Agency & Partners

• At www.airnow.gov, you can type in your zip code to see the current air quality index.

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Protecting Your Health from Wildfire Smoke

The Coastal Health District is encouraging residents to take precautions when wildfire smoke is impacting air quality across the Coastal Health District.

Wildfire smoke can make anyone sick, but some people have a higher risk of health problems associated with wildfire smoke. People at increased risk include individuals with chronic conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or heart disease. Pregnant women, children, and first responders are also at higher risk.

If wildfire smoke is impacting your area, you’re encouraged to:

• Stay inside and away from the smoke.
• Keep indoor air as clean as possible. Keep windows and doors closed. Run an air conditioner if you have one but keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. You can also use fans inside the home to help stay cool.
• Avoid activities that increase indoor pollution such as smoking or vaping, spraying aerosol products, burning candles or incense, or vacuuming unless your vacuum has a HEPA filter.
• Keep airways moist by drinking plenty of water.
• Follow the advice of your health care provider about medicines and your respiratory management plan if you have asthma, COPD, or any other lung or heart disease. Seek medical attention if you are having difficulty breathing or if your symptoms worsen.

Get more information about protecting your health from wildfire smoke at the website of the CDC.

Health departments in the Coastal Health District are offering free testing events for sexually transmitted infections, or STIs, during STI Awareness Month in April.

STI testing is always available without an appointment during clinic hours at health departments in coastal Georgia. But during these special events, STI testing will be offered at no cost. A full list of free STI testing events is at the bottom of this page.

One in five people in the U.S. has an STI. Many infections don’t have obvious symptoms at first, but if left untreated, they can cause severe, long-term health problems and spread to partners.

STI testing is important for anyone who is sexually active, including adolescents, adults, and pregnant women.  STIs can cause serious health problems for pregnant moms and can be passed to their unborn babies.

The good news is, all STIs can be treated, and most can be cured. Routine STI testing can help individuals get treatment early, protect their health, and have open, informed conversations with partners. Testing is quick, confidential, and often easier than people expect.

In 2024, more than 2.2 million STIs were reported across the United States. Overall, rates have declined in recent years but are still much higher than STI rates of a decade ago, reinforcing the need to continue prioritizing STI prevention, testing, and treatment.

Free STI Testing Events in the Coastal Health District

Bryan County

• April 22, 8-11am and 1-4pm, 430 Ledford St., Pembroke
  Appointments preferred but not required
  
• April 14, 8-11am and 1-4pm, 66 Capt. Matthew Freeman Dr., Richmond Hill
  Appointments preferred but not required

Camden County

• April 16, 8am-12pm and 1-5:30pm, 101 Winding Rd., Kingsland
  Appointments preferred but not required

Chatham County

• April 13-17, 8-11am and 1-4pm, Mon. through Thurs., 8a-1p on Friday
  1395 Eisenhower Dr. & 1602 Drayton St., Savannah
  No appointment needed

Effingham County

• April 13-17, 8-11am and 1-4pm, Mon. through Thurs., 8a-12p on Friday
  802 Hwy. 119 South, Springfield
  Appointments preferred but not required

Glynn County

• April 16, 8am-12pm and 1-5pm, 2747 Fourth St., Brunswick
  No appointment needed

Liberty County

• April 13-17, 8-11am and 1-4pm, Mon. through Thurs., 8a-12p on Friday
  1113 East Oglethorpe Hwy., Hinesville
  Appointments preferred but not required

Long County

• April 20-24, 8-11am and 1-4pm, Mon. through Thurs., 8a-12p on Friday
  584 N. Macon St., Ludowici
  Appointments preferred but not required

McIntosh County

• April 14, 8-11am and 1-4pm, 1335 GA Hwy 57, Townsend
  Appointments preferred but not required

The Coastal Health District is warning individuals and businesses after receiving a report that an unknown person falsely claimed to be a health inspector and threatened to close a Glynn County restaurant. The restaurant manager reported the incident to the Glynn County Health Department on Monday, Feb. 10, stating that the encounter occurred over the weekend with an angry patron who made the false claim.

Because the individual did not ask for money or favors, law enforcement was not involved. However, the Coastal Health District is sharing the following information to help protect individuals and businesses from potential fraudulent encounters.

“We take incidents like this very seriously, because we take integrity and professionalism seriously,” said Environmental Health Director Brant Phelps. “This is a good opportunity to let folks know what to expect from our health inspectors and how to recognize suspicious behavior.”

County health inspectors:

• Carry official identification cards. Businesses may ask to see the inspector’s ID and may call the county environmental health office to verify credentials.
• Never accept money in the field. Fees for permits and other environmental health services are paid directly to the health department and are never collected in cash.

If the behavior of someone claiming to be a health inspector seems suspicious, contact the county environmental health office to verify their identity. Never pay for environmental health services in cash or directly to an individual in the field.