The Chat, Chatham County, Georgia

On this episode of The Chat, Will sits down with Chatham Emergency Management Agency Director Dennis Jones. Learn about CEMA's posture during hurricane season, which begins June 1 and runs until November 30.  Be sure you and your family are prepared with our handy checklists: https://www.chathamemergency.org/PrepareNow/HurricanePreparedness Sign up for CEMA Alerts: https://www.smart911.com/smart91...

🚨 New episode of The Chat is out now! 🚨 Part three of our three-part series on Operation: REACT takes a closer look at the hands-on summer camp created for rising 7th, 8th, and 9th grade girls in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. From June 1–5 at Camp Low in Savannah, campers will experience real-world public safety training including firefighting, search and rescue, Stop the...

We are back with the second episode in our three-part series on Camp Operation: REACT, a week-long camp for middle school Girl Scouts to learn about first responder roles. Chelsea Drain from the Chatham County Police Department and Tasha Reed from Animal Services discuss their roles in the upcoming camp. The camp, held June 1-5, 2026, at Camp Low, aims to inspire young women to explore diverse pub...

This week, we’re talking about Camp Operation: REACT! An exciting new collaboration between Chatham County Government, Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, and Memorial Health that’s helping prepare the next generation for emergencies. During this special podcast episode, we discuss how Girl Scouts in grades 7–9 will spend June 1–5 at Camp Low training with Chatham Emergency Management Agency and loca...

On this episode of The Chat, Will and Evan venture out into the Intercoastal Waterways of Chatham County to learn about boating safety from Chatham County Marine Patrol Sgt. Danny Walker. From life jackets to safety courses, learn how to stay safe while enjoying one of Chatham County's most cherished natural resources.    To sign up for the Department of Natural Resource's Boating Safety Course, s...

On this episode of the Chat, Chatham County Superior Court packs the podcast studio to talk about the new FANS System, or Filing Activity Notification System, a free program that allows residents to be notified when paperwork regarding their property is filed with Superior Court. The new system offers residents the ability to receive a notification upon the filing, indexing and transmission of dat...

On this episode of the Chat, join us in welcoming Brook Schreiner, the new Elections Supervisor for Chatham County Board of Elections. Schreiner shares insight into the vital work that supports one of our nation’s most important civic responsibilities—voting. Nearly every year, voters have the opportunity to weigh in on significant decisions, from presidential races to constitutional amendments an...

On this episode of The Chat, Will heads over to Anderson Cohen Weightlifting Center to talk with Billy Cortes, Michael Cohen, and Rebecca Heyward about the gym's Olympic legacy, the Get Excited and Move (G.E.M.) program, and their plans for putting our area back on the map for the national weightlifting circuit.    Find information on memberships, training opportunities, programs and more at https...

Chatham County can do a lot on its own, but when we have the power of our state and federal partners behind us, we can do a lot more. On this episode of The Chat, Director of Policy & Intergovernmental Affairs Tara Jennings joins Will to talk about what Chatham County's legislative priorities are for the coming year. Learn about the process and why our partnerships are valuable for securing fu...

On this episode of The Chat, the team heads out to the beautiful Henderson Golf Club, Chatham County's Municipal Golf Course, to meet Head Golf Pro Dan Gawronski. Gawronski is a Life Member of the PGA of America who got his start on the municipal courses of Houston, Texas. He grew up playing the game at every level, junior golf, high school, college, amateur events, and eventually as a professiona...

On this episode of The Chat, Chatham Police's Neighborhood Liaison Officer De'Antoinette Rodriguez-Hairston joins Will to talk about Halloween Safety, as well as Chatham County's Trunk or Treat on Halloween night! Join Chatham Police, Chatham Fire, Chatham County Tax Commissioner, and Chatham County EMS for the fun on Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m.   Learn more about the event here: https://www.facebook.co...

On this Episode of The Chat, Chatham County Floodplain Administrator Dr. Angela Bliss joins Will to talk about flood insurance, FEMA floodplain designations, and the insurance advocacy program provided to Unincorporated Residents. 

On this episode of The Chat, Chatham County Engineering Director Suzanne Cooler discusses the benefits from SPLOST, the projects planned for SPLOST 8, and the ways in which SPLOSTs and other 1% sales taxes lift the tax burden for those who live in Chatham County. Find more information about SPLOST: https://engineering.chathamcountyga.gov/SPLOST/Projects

On this episode of The Chat, Chatham County's Finance Director Amy Davis and Budget Officer Estelle Brown join Will to talk about the months of planning, crunching numbers, and planning to create the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget for Chatham County Government.   Take a deeper look into the Budget Book here: https://www.chathamcountyga.gov/ourcounty/finance

On this episode of The Chat, Chatham Emergency Management Agency Director Dennis Jones talks about hurricane preparations, CEMA planning, and how good prepping can keep yourself and your loved ones safe during hurricane season. Hurricane Prep Kit: https://www.chathamemergency.org/Community/EmergencyKit CEMA Website: https://www.chathamemergency.org/  

On this episode of The Chat, Ally Findlay, the Activities Coordinator at the Chatham County Recycling Center tells us about the art, vendors and fun planned for the 2025 Phoenix Festival this weekend! 

On this episode of The Chat, Chatham County Fire Department Captain Carl Sapp returns (sans mustache) to discuss the safety benefits of closing your bedroom door before going to sleep. 

Every April, we carve out a week to show our appreciation for our telecommunicators—the hardworking men and women of our E-911 and Non-Emergency Call Center. They are the dedicated public servants on the other end of the line when everything feels like it's falling apart. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week gives us the chance to recognize the people who are essential to every emergency...

Did you know Chatham County has a division devoted to making our facilities accessible to everyone? Listen or watch the latest episode of The Chat to learn more! Have a suggestion for making a county facility more accessible? Put in a request through the My Chatham app or call Ben Lewis at: 912-652-7937. Watch our podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHgvK4WeWKw&list=PLerNk3E2bl...

In this episode of The Chat, Suzanne Cooler, the first woman to serve as Chatham's County Engineer, talks about her department's day-to-day work, and offers encouragement to young women interested in pursuing careers in the engineering field. Discover the many duties and responsibilities of Chatham County's Engineering Department, and learn how to make your voice heard on projects that affect your...

In this episode of The Chat, we're diving into the fight against plastic pollution in Chatham County. Environmental scientist Cloe Lamaire from Savannah Riverkeeper reveals how fast-food packaging is choking our waterways—and shares an innovative plan to turn the tide. Tune in to hear about the upcoming "Reuse" program that could replace single-use cups in Savannah's open container zone with reusa...

Don’t miss this festive episode of The Chat! We sit down with Captain Carl Sapp from the Chatham County Fire Department to talk holiday safety tips, from keeping your tree fire-safe to decorating smartly. Plus, get the scoop on Santa riding through Chatham neighborhoods on a fire truck!  Tune in to learn how our firefighters stay prepared while spreading holiday cheer. Listen now!   

Chatham County Animal Services does so much more than handle stray dogs—they’re rescuing animals, responding to disasters, and uniting pets with loving families. With record-breaking adoptions and a dedicated team, they’re transforming the lives of animals and the community alike. Learn how this small but mighty team makes a big impact every day and why their work matters so much.  Click to see pe...

In this episode of the Chatham County podcast, Public Information Director Catherine Glasby sits down with Ture Carlson, the director of Chatham County Mosquito Control. They discuss the essential work done by Ture's team to manage the county's large mosquito population, especially in the aftermath of events like Tropical Storm Debby, which brought heavy rains and flooding. Ture explains how the d...

Get ready for the latest episode of The Chat, the official Chatham County Government podcast!   Join host Will Peebles as he talks with Ally Findlay, the Activities Coordinator at the Chatham County Recycling Center. Ali shares all the exciting ways she's working with students, schools, and local artists to promote recycling – plus, she breaks down the new soft plastics recycling program and an in...