NS Power crews going to Florida before arrival of Hurricane Milton

Nova Scotia Power (NSP) is sending crews to Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton's arrival.

The utility got the call Sunday night and had crews on the road 24 hours later. The crews will be staged and ready to help in advance of the expected significant impact of Hurricane Milton.

"We sent about 35 people down to help out with that storm restoration. Power line technicians, safety co-ordinators, mechanics, logistics personnel," said Matt Drover, NSP's senior director of energy delivery.

United States forecasters are warning of destructive waves, devastating winds and flash flooding through the week as Hurricane Milton makes its way from the Yucatan Peninsula towards Florida.

As of Tuesday evening, the National Hurricane Center said Milton was back to Category 5 strength. Milton is expected to grow in size and reach the west coast of Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm, with wind speeds between 180 and 210 km/h.

Travellers should avoid non-essential travel to Florida’s coasts, the Canadian government has warned.

"When they get to the state of Georgia, they'll be stationed on the border between Georgia and Florida and waiting for the hurricane to pass by the state," said Drover. "Once it's over and safe to do so, they'll move into the state. They'll be directed by the local utilities to focus on the areas that have been hit the hardest."

Drover said this is the first time this hurricane season NSP has been called on for help.

"We feel a really strong obligation to go and help out our neighbours and make sure that we can help them like they helped us," said Drover.

"During big hurricanes that impact Nova Scotia, like Fiona and Dorian, we reach out to our partners in neighbouring provinces, as far down as Florida ourselves, and we use those partnerships to bring people in to help us out."

Nova Scotia crews are expected to arrive Wednesday night.

"We'll stay as long we they need our help. Obviously, we need to get back here and make sure we get people home as safely and quickly as possible, but we'll stay as long as they need our help."

Drover said the cost of this assistance is fully paid for by the people requesting the help.

With files from CTVNews.ca's Luca Caruso-Moro

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