Liberty County Emergency Management Agency officials said they received more than 130 calls on downed trees and 24 calls on damaged structures.

More than 8,500 customers remain without power, and Liberty EMA director Robert Dodd said it could be a few days before power is restored throughout the county. 

Hinesville Mayor Karl Riles said the city has been in contact with Georgia Power and Canoochee EMC and said he was told those crews are working diligently.

Crews have been called in from other states, and most power could be restored within the next 48 hours. 

Riles and City Manager Kenneth Howard said city public works and sanitation crews and the police and fire departments have been working to help restore services. Police officers are at intersections directing traffic where traffic signals are not working.

First responders were pulled off the road Thursday night as the storm intensified. The Liberty EMA recorded sustained wind speeds up to 65 mph during Tropical Storm Helene.

"We still have a lot of debris laying on the road," Dodd said. "We still have a lot of power lines down. We had to close down all of our first responders last night and we let them back out on the road at 7:30 a.m.

"It was very difficult, but we have to look out for the safety of the first responders. When the winds reach a sustained 35-40 mph, we have to pull them off."

 Officials confirmed one fatality from the storm when a tree crashed through a trailer in the Midway area, killing one of the occupants.

Dodd said damage assessments are looking at clearing the main arteries of travel in Liberty County but stressed people should not be out on a road when debris is being cleared from it and under no circumstances should they approach a downed power line.

"There are a lot of roads that are impassable," he said. "Please do not touch a downed power line. You have to treat every downed power line like it’s ‘hot.’"

Also, some drivers ran into trees that had fallen across the road.

"We had trees down on the road and people driving and we had a few accidents where the people ran right into the trees," Dodd said. "We had some big trees down on the roads.”

Howard said Helene’s late shift from its projected track is a reason why residents need to take such storms seriously. 

“As a result, we received more than anticipated in this part of the state,” he said of Helene’s effects.

At one point, more than 15,000 homes in Hinesville were without power.

“That is unprecedented,” Howard said.

Mayor Riles and Howard also urged residents to have patience as power is restored.

As businesses reopen, some are facing long lines, especially gas stations. Lines of cars were seen at Jet on Highway 84 and at the Enmark across the street.

The mayor noted residents from Jesup and Vidalia have been coming to Hinesville to get gas.

“We do ask for your patience. We’re all in the same boat,” Riles said, adding he’s still without power, cable or internet.