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Duke Energy, Red Cross send crews to Florida to help with Hurricane Michael

Posted at 11:25 PM, Oct 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-10-10 23:55:08-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- Duke Energy and the Red Cross are both sending crews down to the Florida Panhandle to help with the destruction being left behind by Hurricane Michael. 

Duke Energy says they are sending nearly 6,000 workers to Florida, a mix of full-time employees and contractors. 

The Duke crews will be helping other utility companies restore power and clear downed power lines from roadways and homes. 

Crews were told to pack for up to two weeks of work. 

The Indiana region of Red Cross said they had seven volunteers deployed in Florida, Georgia nad Alabama as of Wednesday, but those numbers are expected to go up. 

The Red Cross issued the following details about their scope from Michael as of Tuesday night.

  • Tuesday night, approximately 4,000 people stayed in nearly 70 Red Cross and community evacuation centers across Florida, Georgia and Alabama.
  • There are more than 500 trained disaster workers on their way to the region to join the Red Cross volunteers already in place in the three states.
  • The Red Cross has pre-positioned enough shelter supplies, including cots and blankets, to be able to support some 15,000 people after landfall.
  • We’re also working with partners to prepare for serving tens of thousands of meals per day once the storm passes.
  • The Red Cross is also mobilizing additional relief supplies, vehicles and other equipment to help people in the affected areas if needed.
  • Since October 9, more than 3.6 million weather alerts have been issued through Red Cross apps allowing people to make informed and lifesaving decisions
  • Officials are calling Hurricane Michael the worst storm that’s threatened the Florida Panhandle in a century.

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