Columbia utility workers sent to Florida for Hurricane Milton relief efforts

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia Utilities Department has sent six utility workers to Florida to assist areas impacted by Hurricane Milton, a Thursday press release says.

The release says that the crew will head to Orlando, Florida, and take a digger truck, double-bucket truck and a backyard machine. This comes after crews returned on Wednesday after a 14-day deployment to the east coast to aid in Hurricane Helene relief.

The six-person team includes Crew Leader Dustin Wilhite and linemen Wade Pingel, Cole Talley, Dennis Seversen, Garrett Green and Cody Rowland, the release says.

The City of Columbia Utilities participates in the American Public Power Association’s Mutual Aid Network, which coordinates with utilities and authorities during widespread power outages, the release says.

"Columbia has been able to assist other communities for some time," Matt Winingear, electrical distribution manager with Columbia Water and Light, said in the release. "This goodwill gesture really helps the affected community return to normal as quickly as it can."