GRDA Line Workers Leave For Florida To Help With Hurricane Ian Recovery

Crews from the Grand River Dam Authority are on their way to Florida to help people there recover from damages expected by Hurricane Ian.

At 6 a.m. Tuesday morning, 17 GRDA workers left for their 950-mile trip to Tallahassee Florida to help with potential power outages.

The employees include electric linemen, mechanics, law enforcement, and people to cut trees.

Justin Alberty with GRDA said they knew they had to lend a helping hand.

"For us, this really is the Oklahoma way," Alberty said. "We have crews here in Northeast Oklahoma who are very experienced in helping hurricane recovery. Our guys have been down there before. They've been to Florida; they've been to Louisiana."

Alberty said because of those experiences, he is confident crews will do a good job, and come back home in one piece.

"Not a lot of anxiety there because we know these guys will work safely and they have the experience to do what they're going to do," Alberty said.

Alberty said they hope workers from power companies in other states would help Oklahomans if we ever need it. "If we had that trouble here, let's hope we don't. If we were to have trouble here, say in an ice storm or something that was major disaster, we would see crews from these areas, kind of return the favor."

Alberty said crews will be arriving in Tallahassee tomorrow, and will stay there for as long as help is needed