Hurricane Dorian is headed up the Southeast coast, lashing the coast of central Florida on Tuesday evening and moving to Georgia, North and South Carolina, and possibly Virginia, according to the National Hurricane Center.
In north central Fla., more than 5,000 utility line workers and 7,000 pieces of equipment, ranging from line and tree-trimming trucks, trailers, and specialty vehicles, from 30 states gathered to help Duke Energy restore power after the hurricane. The vehicles and crew are located in a 135-acre cow pasture in Sumter, and Pinellas and Polk counties also have smaller muster locations, according to the utility.
Photo courtesy of National Hurricane Center
Hundreds of EMS crews and a fleet of ambulances and emergency response vehicles have also gathered in north central Florida ahead of the hurricane, according to WCJB.
In Greenville, N.C., the city’s fleet division has ordered additional fuel to ensure that supplies will be at full capacity when the storm arrives. It is also testing and filling generators throughout the city, WCTI reported.
The Tampa (Fla.) Police Department has added a 5-ton military vehicle to rescue residents in high water situations. The vehicle can drive through five feet of water and transport up to 30 people at a time, ABC Action News reported. The hurricane is not projected to hit Tampa. The Wilmington (N.C.) Police Department last month announced it had added two military surplus armored vehicles to its fleet for the upcoming hurricane season.
The Florida National Guard is ready with generators, high-wheel vehicles, helicopters, search and rescue equipment, and boats, according to WCTV. The South Carolina National Guard is also ready to support counties and first responders as needed, including evacuation assistance, high water vehicle transportation and evacuation, and search and rescue.
Using telematics data from commercial fleets, Geotab determined that commercial and government fleets in Florida are more prepared for this hurricane than they were for Hurricane Michael, in 2018. The company determined the percentage of vehicles with more than 50% of fuel in their tanks — nearly all regions (95%) have more than 50% of vehicles with at least this much fuel, including most of the cities along the eastern coast of Florida, according to a blog post.
The company stated while fuel levels are not an indicator for preparedness, it urges its fleet customers are sufficiently fueled to weather the storm.
