PROVIDENCE – Among the thousands of utility workers heading to Florida before Hurricane Milton makes landfall is a group from Rhode Island.
Twenty-one line workers with Rhode Island Energy are on their way to the Tampa area and will be ready to help out in the aftermath of what is expected to be one of the most destructive storms on record.
“It’s a huge sacrifice. They’ll be leaving their families for a period of time,” said Rhode Island Energy president Greg Cornett . “But it’s also what they do. It’s a way of putting their skills to use and helping people when they’re facing some of the most difficult circumstances.”
RI utility workers will help for Hurricane Milton as others return from Hurricane Helene
The workers set out early Tuesday morning in seven bucket trucks and four other vehicles for Florida’s Gulf Coast and are due to arrive at a staging area outside of the hurricane’s path sometime on Wednesday.
The storm, which on Tuesday was a Category 4, is forecast to hit the coast Wednesday night. Once it passes, the workers from Rhode Island Energy and other utility companies will spread out across the area to start repairing downed lines and working on other efforts to restore power as needed.