COLUMBIA − As Hurricane Idalia approaches the Florida Gulf Coast, utility electric line crews from Missouri and Arkansas are on their way to Florida to aid in recovery efforts.
The Missouri Public Utility Alliance (MPUA) has organized a group of lineworker crews from 15 utilities across the state. The group is traveling to Jacksonville, Florida, preparing to respond to power outages at municipal utilities after the storm passes.
“The lineworkers headed down to Florida are the people who climb poles, attach wires, replace poles, even replace entire systems for towns when called for,” MPUA spokesperson Kerry Cordray said. “These are home town heroes that usually do that electric line work for their very own communities.”
The combined response involves 68 lineworkers and other utility personnel from the 13 Missouri cities of Carthage, Chillicothe, Columbia, Hannibal, Higginsville, Independence, Kennett, Macon, Nixa, Odessa, Palmyra, Poplar Bluff, and Springfield, according to a press release.
“In the case of a big event, the state of Florida’s municipal public utility agency connects with whoever they can connect with to get as much man power as they can on the ground and ready to respond to power outages after the storm hits,” Cordray said.
Hurricane Idalia, currently classified as a category 2, is expected to make landfall late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. Catastrophic impacts from storm surge inundation of 10 to 15 feet above ground level and destructive waves are expected somewhere between Aucilla River and Yankeetown, Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The workers will stage in Jacksonville on Tuesday evening, ahead of the anticipated hurricane impacts on the Florida Gulf Coast. The crews are equipped with more than 40 utility work vehicles.
MPUA is not the only organization sending aid to Florida; the American Red Cross is also sending responders.
“Our teams are there to help as Hurricane Idalia makes landfall,” said Rebecca Gordon, executive director for the Red Cross’ Central and Northern Missouri chapter. “We are grateful to the volunteers who are willing to leave home and help those affected by disasters in communities around the country.”
As of Tuesday morning, the Red Cross is sending 10 responders from Missouri.
