Good afternoon,

Gwinnett County has been watching the evolving forecast to prepare for the storm alongside our partners in our cities, schools, hospitals, and public health. Your safety is our priority, and we will continue to share updates as we receive them.

We encourage you to look out for our News for Neighborhood newsletters, visit our website, or follow us on social media @GwinnettGov to stay informed on the latest updates. Please note that any updates about school closures will come from Gwinnett County Public Schools and Buford City Schools.

The County is actively preparing for the storm, including brining roads, checking generators at County facilities, and making plans to ensure 24/7 staffing in critical areas throughout the event.  

We encourage you to take these steps to prepare for the impact of icy conditions:  

• Please stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary
• Keep flashlights and batteries on hand  
• Use generators safely outdoors and away from doors and windows  
• Make sure you have enough food, water, medications, and pet essentials  
• Charge devices and backup power sources  
• Protect your pipes from extreme cold by dripping faucets and opening cabinet doors

Gwinnett County under local emergency order

On Friday, Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson issued a declaration of local emergency in advance of the major winter storm forecasted by the National Weather Service.

The local declaration, which follows Governor Kemp's statewide declaration, activates certain emergency powers under the Gwinnett County Emergency Management Ordinance. This includes allocating all available County resources to address the storm’s impact and the use of public property, resources, and facilities as necessary to cope with the storm or when there is compelling necessity for the protection of lives, health, and welfare.

Who to contact about incidents during the storm

Our first responders will continue to answer and respond to calls. Please review and save these phone numbers for emergency and non-emergency situations:

• Emergencies and immediate threats to life safety: 911
• Non-emergencies like downed trees, car accidents, and other incidents that do not pose an immediate threat to life safety: call 770.513.5700 or text 470.636.9202
• One Stop for Help and Warming Station information: 770.822.8850
• Gwinnett Water Resources dispatch like urgent water, sewer, or stormwater-related incidents: 678.376.7000

Warming Stations open

Gwinnett County will operate six warming stations beginning today, January 24 at 4:30pm with extended hours. Gwinnett County Warming Stations are located at:


• Best Friend Park Gym, 6224 Jimmy Carter Boulevard, Norcross
• Buford Senior Center, 2755 Sawnee Avenue, Buford
• Community Resource Center at Bethany Church Road, 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville
• Lawrenceville Senior Center, 225 Benson Street, Lawrenceville
• Shorty Howell Park Activity Building, 2750 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth
• The Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville, will open the Nash Building jury assembly area as a warming station. Please enter the facility through the fourth floor of the GJAC parking deck.

At this time, we anticipate the warming stations will remain open through Monday, January 26 at 9:30am. As weather conditions evolve, we are prepared to extend operations if needed.

We will also continue to operate our 24/7 One Stop for Help phone line. Residents who need help accessing resources for non-emergency situations are encouraged to call 770.822.8850.

County services impacted

Community Services | Parks and Recreation

All Community Services and Parks and Recreation facilities, with the exception of those serving as warming stations, closed at 3:00pm on Saturday, January 24.

Shorty's 40^th Birthday event at Shorty Howell Park originally scheduled for Saturday, January 24 has been moved to Saturday, February 21. Astro Adventure Night scheduled for Saturday, January 24 at Rhodes Jordan Park is canceled.

Courts

Gwinnett County Courts will be closed on Monday, January 26 due to inclement weather. All court hearings and trials are canceled.

The courthouse will be closed for court business, including courts located in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, the Nash Court Building, the Recorder’s Court and Juvenile Court Building, as well as the Clerk of Court and Probate Court.

No court services will be available.

Ride Gwinnett

Ride Gwinnett will not operate local, microtransit, or paratransit service on Saturday, January 24. The Ride Gwinnett Customer Service office will also be closed.

Tax Commissioner

All Tax Commissioner offices, including all DMV offices, will be closed Monday, January 26. Online services will remain accessible during the closure. For additional information, online services, and the latest updates on closures and delays, visit GwinnettTaxCommissioner.com.

Protect your pipes from freezing

When it gets this cold, there is a higher potential for frozen or broken water pipes. You can help protect your pipes by winterizing your home with a few simple steps:

1. Insulate exposed pipes
2. Keep the heat turned on
3. Cover exposed water spigots

If you do experience burst pipes or another water-related issue, or if you are unsure if your issue is an emergency or whether it is your responsibility, you can read more about some of the most common issues:

• Water leaks
• Turning water off at meter
• Water quality issues
• Low water pressure or lack of hot water
• Water outages

For additional information, visit GwinnettCounty.com/ReportAProblem. If you are having a sewer, stormwater, or any other water-related emergency, please call 678.376.7000 to reach Gwinnett Water Resources' 24/7 dispatch center.

Visit Gwinnett Safety 411 for more tips on preparing for winter weather.

To stay updated with the latest news from the County, visit our website, GwinnettCounty.com, or follow us on social media @GwinnettGov.