Hydro crews from Toronto are joining the effort to get power back online in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma.
Toronto Hydro said Monday that 30 of its employees will depart for Florida on Tuesday morning following a request for assistance from Tampa Electric this afternoon.
More than 6.7 million homes and businesses are without electricity after the powerful hurricane tore through the Caribbean and Florida before weakening into a tropical storm on Monday.
At least 40 deaths in the Caribbean and the U.S. have been blamed on the storm so far. Officials estimate that it could take weeks to bring power back online.
Hydro One said Sunday night that it would send 175 employees to Florida after receiving a request for help from Florida Power and Light.
Speaking with CP24 before the crew crossed the border Monday, Hydro One Vice President of Distribution Brad Bowness said staff are ready and eager to start helping.
“Our crews are ready for this,” Bowness said. “Part of our core operations is to be able to respond to trouble, to storms and emergency response. It’s what we train for, both technically as well as getting ready from our structure perspective, our team perspective, for these types of events.
“I’ve been reiterating with our crews the importance of safety and making sure that we maintain our safe work practices as we restore power to the people of Florida.”
Another staff member who gave his name as Ryan said he’s eager to start helping.
“There’s two things running through our minds; First of all we’re obviously excited to go down. A lot of us haven’t worked this type of situation and been down south of the border,” he said. “Also, there’s a mutual sense of pride from all of us to be Canadian and to be from Hydro One and to get down and show them our skill level, our safety and effectiveness on storm – that’s what we’re known for here in Ontario.”
A Hydro One spokesperson said the company has reciprocal arrangements in place with other North American utilities to help with significant power outages. All the costs are covered by the utility receiving the help.
The company said it expects its crews and equipment to arrive by Wednesday.
- With files from Associated Press
