Jim Rosica
Tallahassee residents should expect their power on within the next week, officials said Friday night at a Hurricane Hermine Response Roundtable Discussion.
Gov. Rick Scott convened a conference room full of local government, law enforcement and utility representatives at the state’s Emergency Operations Center.
Teams are working around the clock to restore electricity and ensure public safety, they said.
“In Tallahassee, we’ve got a lot of people without power, and that’s a problem,” the governor told the room.
He was told that utility crews are working first on transmission problems, the big towers and wires that carry juice from power plants to substations that then deliver electricity to homes and businesses.
By Saturday and Sunday, residents should start seeing more trucks and linemen along city thoroughfares and in neighborhoods.
Leon County Sheriff Mike Wood and others also assured the governor they were mindful of security, both from looting and any theft of the many generators across Tallahassee that are powering things like traffic signals.
Scott, however, said he was unaware of any reports of looting in the city. He also said any curfews that might be imposed the longer the power stays out would be decided by local authorities.
Earlier in the day, Scott toured parts of the state affected by the storm, walking through sections of Tallahassee and traveling down to Cedar Key.
During the various briefings, Scott focused on one thing: How can I help?
“Is there anything that anybody needs?” he asked toward the end of the meeting. So far, everyone said they were good, though Scott made everyone share names and numbers so they could contact each other directly.
“I want everybody to get their electricity back as soon as possible,” Scott told reporters after the meeting. “I want everybody to be safe. I want everybody to get back to normal.”
A video of Friday night’s briefing can be replayed here.
