Give credit where it’s due to Gov. Nathan Deal, R-Ga.

The man can take a hint. After letting the state’s guard down in the face of an earlier snow and ice storm — and getting pounded by critics for the chaos that ensued — the governor has sounded the alarm to be alert to the next historic storm that’s about to pound the Peach State.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/11/us/winter-weather/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

He’s taking no chances this time, nor should he.

Deal is heeding the warnings issued by the National Weather Service, which he inexplicably ignored the first time just a couple of weeks ago.

“It certainly looks like it could be of historic proportions, especially in the last 10 to 20 years,” said National Weather Service forecaster Jason Deese.

To get ready, Deal has mobilized National Guard units and has issued stern warnings to local first responders to be ready for anything.

That’s what governors get paid to do, among other things.

Recall also that Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed took plenty of hits over his city’s shamefully inadequate response to the earlier storm. I’m betting Reed is going to follow the governor’s lead on this storm.