40 PPL Electric lineworkers and support personnel, along with 40 contractor lineworkers, departed from Allentown to head to Florida to assist Florida Power & Light with restoration efforts stemming from Hurricane Milton.
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WILKES-BARRE — The Valley With A Heart is responding to the need for support in the wake of two major storms in the south.
On Wednesday, 40 PPL Electric lineworkers and support personnel, along with 40 contractor lineworkers, departed from Allentown to head to Florida to assist Florida Power & Light with restoration efforts stemming from Hurricane Milton.
These personnel were expected to arrive in Florida on Thursday, Oct. 10.
A PPL statement said that crews in Augusta, Georgia, have been released from their assignments. Many of these crews are on their way back to Pennsylvania, while others will be joining PPL resources in Florida.
Since the arrival of Hurricane Helene in late September, PPL’s Mutual Assistance efforts have aided restoration in Georgia, Virginia, Kentucky and Florida.
PPL Electric belongs to both the Southeast Electric Exchange and the North Atlantic Mutual Assistance Group. Membership in these exchanges allows PPL to call upon other utilities to come to our region and assist local teams. Likewise, PPL crews can assist them in times of need.
As always, before offering resources through the Mutual Assistance partnerships, PPL will assess this area’s potential storms and customer needs across its 29-county service territory. PPL said it is not anticipating any major outages this week and remains staffed and prepared to respond if needed.
State Police deploys 54 troopers for Hurricane Milton relief efforts
Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Colonel Christopher Paris on Thursday announced that members of the Pennsylvania State Police will join the Shapiro Administration’s support of ongoing response efforts in southern states impacted by hurricanes.
Paris said PSP will deploy 54 troopers and two civilian support staff to Florida, at the request of state authorities there, to assist law enforcement in relief efforts following Hurricane Milton.
These efforts will include missions relating to life-safety and distribution of critical resources in the areas impacted. The deployment is scheduled to last two weeks but may be extended or shortened depending on the operational need.
Paris said this is the first out-of-state deployment of PSP troopers for a natural disaster since Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey and New York in 2012.
“Today, we are proud to announce the deployment of Pennsylvania State Troopers to assist the residents of Florida in the aftermath of this hurricane,” said Colonel Paris. “Our commitment to public safety and service knows no borders, and we stand ready to provide support in this time of need.”
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) Director Randy Padfield said when communities are devastated by natural disasters, the ability to quickly deploy needed resources to the disaster is a critical component of interstate mutual aid.
“This deployment of Pennsylvania resources was facilitated through the nationwide Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which allows states to rapidly share critical resources when and where they’re needed most, while operating under the leadership and direction of the requesting states,” Padfield said.
EMAC is a formal agreement that allows states to share resources, such as personnel or equipment, during disasters. EMAC was created to serve as an all-hazards national mutual aid system and has been ratified by the U.S. Congress with participation from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
All costs associated with the deployment are paid by the requesting state.
The Shapiro Administration previously announced deployments to North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The deployments included four members of the Pennsylvania Incident Management Team (PA-IMT), eight members of the Pennsylvania Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (PA-HART), and 45 members and support personnel from Pennsylvania-Task Force 1 (PA-TF1), a team of structural engineers, rescue specialists, doctors, canines and handlers and hazardous materials specialists.
Additionally, 11 members of the Fatality Search and Recovery Team (FSRT) and two members of the Unit Ministry Team (UMT) mobilized to North Carolina in support of the relief effort. The PA-IMT deployed to North Carolina does include four members of PSP.
Salvation Army division responds
Relief volunteers from The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division are getting ready to provide help and other essential services to the victims of Hurricane Milton in Florida.
Once the hurricane clears, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm, The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) volunteers will deploy to the affected areas.
“The Salvation Army Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware Division is mobilizing additional personnel today and in the coming days to support on-the-ground efforts and logistics in areas devastated by Hurricane Milton,” said Luke Rodgers, the division’s director of EDS. “Our teams and volunteers have been providing mass feeding, shelter, clean-up support, hygiene kits and emotional and spiritual care in response to Hurricane Helene, and we will continue to deliver these essential services to the survivors and first responders impacted by Hurricane Milton.”
The following Salvation Army disaster relief volunteers will deploy, beginning today and in the coming days, to assist with the relief efforts:
• Capt. Jared Starnes (Boyertown Corps) – Florida
• Capt. Ismael Ortiz (Wilkes-Barre Corps) – Florida
• Maj. Frederick Clarke (Lewistown Corps) – Florida
• Lt. Adrian Aponte (York Citadel Corps) – Florida
• Capt. Neil Childs (Scranton Corps) – Florida
• Capt. Michael Buzzard (Berwick Corps) – Florida
• Maj. Ida Perez (Pottstown Corps) – Florida
• Divisional EDS Director Luke Rodgers (Divisional Headquarters) – North Carolina
• Maj. Sheryl Hershey (Williamsport Corps) – North Carolina
Since Hurricane Helene struck on Sept. 26, an extensive network of EDS professionals and volunteers have been on the ground serving communities across southern states.
Local volunteers from across the Division are currently helping with hurricane relief efforts in Florida and North Carolina.
Staff and volunteers from Pennsylvania can provide first-hand accounts of the devastation on the ground and the efforts of The Salvation Army to address the needs of the storm’s victims.
The following disaster relief volunteers are currently deployed:
• Volunteer Christopher Winborn (Wilkes-Barre Corps) – Florida
• Volunteer Mark Jacukowicz (Wilkes-Barre Corps) – Florida
• Volunteer Nancy Brown (Williamsport Corps) – North Carolina
• Volunteer Rosemarie Confer (Williamsport Corps) – North Carolina
• Volunteer Felicia Goudy (Williamsport Corps) – North Carolina
• Divisional EDS Assistant Director Erik Johnson (Divisional Headquarters) – North Carolina
• Maj. Christopher Mauk (Chambersburg Corps) – North Carolina
With more than 7,200 centers of operation across the country, The Salvation Army is uniquely positioned to mobilize and serve communities before, during and after a natural disaster strikes. During times of disaster, 100% of designated donations to The Salvation Army are used for immediate response and long-term efforts.
Donations to support Hurricane Helene relief can be made at www.HelpSalvationArmy.org; by calling 1-800-725-2769; or by mail to The Salvation Army, P.O. BOX 1959, Atlanta, GA 30301 (designate “disaster relief – hurricane” on checks.)