SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) - The White House has issued an Emergency Declaration for the State of Georgia as Hurricane Helene looms. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) announced on Thursday that the state had been approved following a formal request from Governor Brian Kemp on Wednesday. The Declaration directs federal assistance to supplement response efforts due to the storm, now a Category 3 Hurricane, and resulting weather conditions. Public Assistance Emergency protective measures, including direct assistance at 75% federal funding, will be provided for Atkinson, Baker, Banks, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks,Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Clinch, Coffee, Colquitt, Cook, Crisp, Dawson, Decatur, Dooly, Dougherty, Early, Echols, Fannin, Forsyth, Franklin, Gilmer, Grady, Habersham, Hall, Irwin, Jackson, Lanier, Lee, Lowndes, Lumpkin, Macon, Miller, Mitchell, Pickens, Pulaski, Quitman, Rabun, Randolph, Schley, Seminole, Stephens, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Thomas, Tift, Towns, Turner, Union, Webster, White, Wilcox, and Worth counties. Public Assistance emergency protective measures, limited to direct federal assistance andreimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support, will be provided at 75percent federal funding for Appling, Bacon, Baldwin, Barrow, Bartow, Bibb, Bleckley, Brantley,Burke, Butts, Camden, Carroll, Catoosa, Charlton, Chattahoochee, Chattooga, Clarke, Clayton,Cobb, Columbia, Coweta, Crawford, Dade, DeKalb, Dodge, Douglas, Elbert, Emanuel, Fayette,Floyd, Fulton, Glascock, Glynn, Gordon, Greene, Gwinnett, Hancock, Haralson, Harris, Hart, Heard,Henry, Houston, Jasper, Jeff Davis, Jefferson, Jenkins, Johnson, Jones, Lamar, Laurens, Lincoln,Madison, Marion, McDuffie, Meriwether, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Murray, Muscogee,Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Peach, Pierce, Pike, Polk, Putnam, Richmond, Rockdale,Screven, Spalding, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Troup, Twiggs, Upson,Walker, Walton, Ware, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Wheeler, Whitfield, Wilkes, and Wilkinsoncounties. “We are grateful to receive the federal emergency declaration, upon Governor Kemp’s request, which provides critical resources and support as we prepare for Hurricane Helene’s impact on Georgia,” said GEMA/Homeland Security (HS) Director Chris Stallings. “This declaration enables us to work closely with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure the safety of our communities. We encourage all Georgians to take this storm seriously, follow official guidance, and prioritize safety in the days ahead.” GEMA/HS will continue to work with emergency management agencies on the county level to address the potential impacts in the aftermath of the storm.