BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Nearly 200 PPL Electric Utilities linemen have been assisting in restoration efforts from Hurricane Helene since Friday.
The Category 4 hurricane brought catastrophic flooding to North Carolina and has taken lives in the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia, according to The Associated Press. USA Today reported that over 1 million people were left without power from the storm.
PPL announced that it sent 60 electric lineworkers and 80 contractor lineworkers to Atlanta, Georgia. A PPL spokesperson also said 40 to 50 lineworkers went to Kentucky.
It's unclear if any local linemen have joined the restoration efforts, as PPL does not have "individual information for the lineworkers that are down there," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson also said the company is "unsure" of how long crews will be in the South.
"PPL Electric belongs to both the Southeast Electric Exchange and the North Atlantic Mutual Assistance Group," a statement from PPL Electric said. "Membership in these exchanges allows us to call upon other utilities to come to our region and assist our teams. Likewise, our crews can assist them in times of need."
Statements from the company also said "drone assessment and storm management resources" were also being sent to affected areas to assess damage and manage restoration efforts safely and efficiently.
American Red Cross volunteers from the Lehigh Valley have also taken to the South to assist those in need.
PPL said it didn't anticipate any "major outages" from the rain brought north by Hurricane Helene but remained prepared.
Other local agencies, like Cetronia Ambulance Corps. took the opportunity to raise awareness about the seriousness of emergency preparedness, especially water rescue.
