Emergency contacts for Georgia
- Poison control
- Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222; call 911 first for trouble breathing, seizure, collapse, or loss of consciousness.
- Utility emergency
- Immediate danger: 911. Gas, electric, or outage emergency: call the serving utility's 24-hour emergency line from a safe location. State utility escalation: Georgia Public Service Commission, 1-800-282-5813 or (404) 656-4501.
- State emergency management
- Georgia State Emergency Operations Center: (912) 530-4493 or (404) 772-9922
- Weatherization assistance
- Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Weatherization: (404) 584-1000. National Energy Assistance Referral: 1-866-674-6327.
Plumbing flood / burst pipe
Before the plumber arrives in Georgia, stop the water and make the area safe. Close the fixture valve if the leak is at a toilet, sink, appliance, or water heater; otherwise close the main shutoff and keep people out of any room where water is spreading. If water is touching outlets, cords, the panel, or a ceiling light, do not step into it. Turn off power only from a dry, safe spot; if the panel is wet or blocked, call 911 or the electric utility. Move valuables, take photos and short videos before cleanup, and save receipts for mitigation work. Call 911 for shock risk, ceiling collapse, injury, or trapped occupants. Call the water utility if the break is at the meter, curb stop, or street main. If floodwater reaches a ditch, storm drain, creek, or lake, report it to Georgia EPD emergency response: 1-800-241-4113; National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802.
Electrical fire / smoke from outlet
If an outlet, switch, appliance, or panel is smoking in Georgia, treat it as a fire until firefighters say otherwise. Get everyone outside, close the door if you can do so on the way out, and call 911 from outside. If there is only a burning smell or light smoke and you can reach the breaker panel from a dry, smoke-free path, switch off the affected breaker or the main disconnect; do not remove outlet covers or pull devices from the wall. Never throw water on an electrical fire. Use an ABC or C-rated extinguisher only if the fire is very small, you have a clear exit, and 911 has already been called. After 911, call your electric utility if service equipment, the meter, the mast, or exterior wires are involved. For non-emergency utility escalation after the scene is safe, contact Georgia Public Service Commission at 1-800-282-5813 or (404) 656-4501.
No heat in winter
For no heat in Georgia, do the low-risk checks before the HVAC contractor arrives: thermostat mode and batteries, furnace switch, breaker, air filter, open supply registers, and whether other gas appliances are working. If you have an older pilot, follow the appliance label once; repeated relighting, delayed ignition, soot, rollout flames, or a suspected gas valve problem is a stop point, not a DIY repair. Leave the home and call 911 if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or anyone has headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, confusion, or breathing trouble. If you smell gas, follow the gas-leak steps and call 911 plus the utility from outside. Call the utility for a neighborhood gas or electric outage. If the repair is unaffordable after the immediate danger is controlled, contact Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Weatherization at (404) 584-1000 or National Energy Assistance Referral: 1-866-674-6327. For warming center referrals, use Georgia 2-1-1 at https://www.211.org/.
No AC in extreme heat
For no AC during extreme heat in Georgia, protect people first and troubleshoot second. Move older adults, infants, medically fragile residents, and pets to the coolest room, close blinds, avoid the oven, and use fans only when indoor air is not dangerously hot. Check thermostat settings, a tripped breaker, a clogged filter, the condensate float switch, and whether the outdoor disconnect is on; do not open refrigerant lines or electrical compartments. Call 911 if anyone is confused, fainting, having trouble breathing, unable to wake, or you suspect heat stroke. Call the electric utility for a power outage, downed wire, or meter issue before calling an AC contractor. Find cooling centers through Georgia 2-1-1 at https://www.211.org/ or by dialing 2-1-1. For repair affordability or efficiency help, use Georgia Environmental Finance Authority Weatherization at (404) 584-1000.
Sewer backup / septic overflow
For a sewer backup or septic overflow in Georgia, stop adding water immediately. Do not flush toilets, shower, run laundry, use the dishwasher, or drain sinks until the line is cleared. Keep children, pets, and anyone with open cuts away from contaminated water; sewage is a biohazard even when it looks diluted. If you must enter briefly, wear rubber boots, gloves, and eye protection, then wash thoroughly. Do not mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners. Photograph the backup, note which fixtures overflowed first, and call a plumber, septic contractor, or municipal sewer department. Call 911 if sewage is mixed with electrical hazards, someone is trapped, or anyone becomes seriously ill. Call the wastewater utility or public works if neighbors are affected, a manhole is overflowing, or the backup appears to come from the public main. If sewage reaches a storm drain, ditch, stream, lake, or wetland, report it to Georgia EPD emergency response: 1-800-241-4113; National Response Center: 1-800-424-8802.
Gas smell / suspected leak
If you smell gas, hear hissing, see blowing dust near a line, or suspect a leak in Georgia, leave immediately. Do not search for the source, relight appliances, use a phone inside, flip switches, unplug cords, start a vehicle in an attached garage, or open a breaker panel. Warn others only if you can do it without delaying evacuation. Once you are outside and away from the odor, call 911 first, then call the serving gas utility's emergency line. Stay out until firefighters or the utility say it is safe. If the utility shuts off or red-tags equipment, a licensed gas, plumbing, or HVAC contractor should repair it before service is restored. The state utility commission is for non-emergency escalation after the leak response, not the first call during a suspected leak: Georgia Public Service Commission, 1-800-282-5813 or (404) 656-4501.
After the scene is safe
Use ProFix to compare licensed local contractors after 911, the utility, or the state hotline has handled the immediate safety issue.
Source: ProFix Editorial Team. Last updated 2026-06-09. This guide is safety triage, not a substitute for 911, utility crews, firefighters, public health officials, or licensed trade work.