ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida later today, Duke Energy Florida is reminding customers that the company has 8,000 workers, including nearly 4,000 in The Villages in Central Florida, ready to respond to widespread power outages as soon as conditions allow.
The company is also encouraging customers to remain informed and vigilant – while prioritizing safety above all else – before, during and after the storm.
“Hurricane Helene poses a significant threat to Florida’s Big Bend and other communities along the state’s west coast. The potential of a category four storm can cause widespread damage to our equipment resulting in extended outage durations for our customers,” said Todd Fountain, Duke Energy Florida storm director. “We can’t overstate how critical it is for our customers in these areas to keep safety top of mind in the hours and days ahead.”
In anticipation of the Hurricane Helene, the Duke Energy Foundation has awarded $50,000 to the American Red Cross to support disaster response and relief efforts. This is in addition to the $3.5 million the Foundation has donated specifically to the American Red Cross’ emergency response work in Florida over the last five years, as well as a previous $100,000 grant to upgrade the organization’s Emergency app.
