MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More than a dozen MLGW workers headed out to the Florida Panhandle Friday morning to help restore power to thousands of people in Tallahassee who have been in the dark since Hurricane Michael hit Wednesday.
“We’ve received help from other utilities around the region when we’ve needed help, and likewise, we are providing that help,” said MLGW President and CEO J.T. Young.
The Category 4 storm sent huge trees toppling over on top of homes and power lines.
One man even captured the moment on camera when a tree was uprooted and crashed down in his yard.
“Hearing the trees pop got to be a little nervous. You know you get a little nervous about the trees popping, you can hear them popping,” said Tallahassee resident Rosezetta Bobo. “And then, when your lights went out, you said that you knew that was it.”
At its peak, more than 114,000 Tallahassee customers were in the dark – which is nearly every home and business in the city.
“First the devastation takes people back, and then secondly, they start thinking about, ‘How am I going to get back?’ And one of the first things people need to feel is hope, and hope comes when power comes back on,” Young said.
MLGW said its workers will begin restoring power Saturday morning and hope to be home in two weeks, but it’s possible it could take longer or that they will be sent to help in another hurricane-ravaged area.
Thousands of other utility crews from across the country are also headed to Florida to help, Young said.
