Missouri utility crews prepare to help those impacted by Hurricane Ian

COLUMBIA, Mo. KMIZ.

Power companies in Missouri are preparing to support communities impacted by Hurricane Ian, and some crews have already packed up and left.  

More than 2.5 million Florida residents are under an evacuation warning as Hurricane Ian makes its way closer to the West Coast, according to CNN.

Doug Colvin, director of Nixa utilities, said its electric-line workers left Tuesday morning for Orlando. 

"The mutual aid coordinators will split us out to whatever communities or public power entity that needs us and we'll go to work there putting up lines putting people back in service," Colvin said. "Whatever they need us to do."

Colvin said his team consists of four linemen, which could be deployed for a couple of weeks or longer. But Colvin said he's more than happy to help because mutual aid crews came to their rescue 15 years ago during an ice storm in Nixa. 

"We feel compelled to go and help others as well and we've seen the benefit of it and hopefully we can help you know those folks in Florida get back in power soon and try to get back to their normal lives," Colvin said.

There's a chance those in Florida could receive more help from Missouri. Ameren Missouri and Boone Electric Cooperative each said its crews are on standby and ready to help out, if asked. 

"Ameren crews are prepared to support communities impacted by Hurricane Ian. If needed, our crews will be assigned an area to support once the storm passes through." Ameren Missouri spokesman Brad Brown said in an email.

Brown said Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois are voluntary members of the electric power industry's mutual assistance network through the Edison Electric Institute.

"Following some large storms here, Ameren has called upon other utilities for assistance and has a history of helping other utilities, providing support with catastrophic events including hurricanes, "Brown said.