Austin Energy crews heading to Florida to help

AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) – Some Austin Energy crews are heading to Florida to help with any possible power outages there due to Hurricane Dorian.

Austin Energy’s team will travel to Jacksonville in a convoy of bucket trucks and support vehicles. It’s made up of lineworkers and support personnel.

The utility says it received the request for help from public power utility Jacksonville Electric Authority.

Crews are expected to help for two to three weeks but the duration could change depending on the community’s needs.

Austin is just one of several places across the state and the U.S. that’s sending crews to assist with disaster response.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has also sent Texas Task Force One. The team consists of 45 personnel and flood and swift water rescue boats to help.

Local Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services volunteers are on standby in Williamson County as well. They’re waiting to hear where they’ll be deployed once Hurricane Dorian makes landfall.

The volunteers will take with them a mobile kitchen which can serve up to 1,400 meals a day. Across the state, five of these mobile kitchens and five rapid response units will be sent to Florida.