THOMASVILLE- Thomas County Sheriff Tim Watkins and Public Works Director Jay Knight had their hands full for their first weather-related event since taking over. On Tuesday, January 21, 2025, Thomas County saw up to six inches of snow as Winter Storm Enzo blew through.

“It was very interesting, being only my 10th day as Public Works Director,” Knight said.

He and Watkins worked together, along with the City of Thomasville, and Thomas County Emergency Services to prevent the public from any injuries due to the unusual amount of snow and ice. However, accidents were bound to happen.

Watkins said between the hours of 8 p.m. on Tuesday and 10 a.m. on Thursday, agencies received a total of 285 calls.

Thomas County Sheriff’s Office specifically responded to eight vehicles in a ditch, five car accidents, and seven traffic hazards, including individuals doing donuts and pulling a canoe down the road.

Additionally, an officer’s vehicle ran off into the ditch, while responding to a domestic.

Knight put in a request to the Georgia DOT for salt prior to the storm but was not contacted until Tuesday night after the snow had begun to fall, that salt could be picked up.

“By that point, it was too late,” Knight said.

Watkins agreed, noting that while 6-7 inches of snow isn’t a big deal up north, Thomasville did not have the equipment needed for an event like this.

With a lack of equipment and salt, the Thomasville Police Department and Thomas County issued a curfew of 8 p.m. on Tuesday, extending until noon on Thursday.

“We appreciated everybody adhering to the curfew, which made our job a lot easier as we tried to clear the roads,” Watkins said.

Road clearing began Wednesday afternoon when Knight secured motor graders and mechanical brooms to remove snow and ice.

However, the ice has proved difficult to remove, even with the mechanical brooms.

“The problem is how long it’s stayed cold,” Knight said. “We had snow like this in 2018, but it didn’t stay this cold; it melted quickly.”

As crews continue to work around the clock clearing the roads and protecting the streets, Watkins and Knight both shared their appreciation for their team.

“Our guys did a tremendous job,” Watkins said.

Knight echoed Watkins’ sentiment, sharing that his team had rallied and helped not only the county clear its roadways but traveled into the city of Thomasville to help clear Pinetree Blvd. to make it passable for drivers.