Missouri Public Utility Alliance and Red Cross volunteers head to Florida ahead of Hurricane Idalia

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

As Hurricane Idalia, which is now a category four storm, nears closer to the southeast coast, volunteers from all over Missouri are heading down to help.

To get ahead of the damage, Missouri Public Utility Alliance sent 68 line workers and other personnel from 15 different utilities to Jacksonville, Florida on Tuesday.

Of those 68 crew members include workers from Columbia, Hannibal and Macon.

The MPUA says the teams are equipt with over 40 utility work vehicles, buck trucks, diggers and line work equipment.

The aiding efforts are part of the MPUA Mutual Aid Program, which links over 2,000 public power and rural electric cooperatives to help one another during times of need.

In addition to the MPUA, the American Red Cross are also deploying people to help.

Volunteers from Missouri, one being from Mexico are heading down to Florida to help with relief efforts.