Houston, Texas (KTRK) – As Florida residents wait for Hurricane Ian — dangerously close to Category 5 strength — to make landfall along the state’s west coast, several organizations in the Houston area are on their way to help.
With winds up to 155 miles per hour, the storm is expected to cause catastrophic damage.
It’s blue skies and beautiful weather all over our city, but many Houstonians can’t help but think about what Florida residents are dealing with right now.
Since the community is no stranger to tropical weather, many people from the Houston area come forward to help in the aftermath.
Hurricane Ian live radar: Latest maps, projections and likely path as the storm approaches Florida
Trucks and utility crews with CenterPoint Energy are already on their way to Florida.
About 100 airline workers from Houston and Indiana, along with support staff, are part of a convoy that departed on Tuesday.
Once the situation is safe, crews will work 16-hour shifts to restore power across the state.
And the local Houston Red Cross already has volunteers holed up in the storm’s path.
More volunteers are expected to leave Thursday morning at around 9 a.m. in emergency aid vehicles stocked with supplies. They hope to arrive by Saturday.
Related: What is a Storm Surge? Explain the dangers along the Florida coast when Hurricane Ian makes landfall
About 40 Houstonians with Crowd Source Rescue are on their way to Florida. They are focusing on mobilizing after the storm is over to help rescue people who may be trapped.
ABC13’s Charlie Edsetti spoke with field manager Paul Middendorf. He’s from East Houston and bound for Sarasota.
“The winds are starting to rise, and it is raining very well. The next two hours are going to be really bad, so our teams are on their way to take cover in a parking garage to get past the storms and high winds,” Middendorf said.
Some members of the Houston Fire Department are on their way to help, too. They are part of Texas A& M Task Force 1.
Governor Greg Abbott posted them Tuesday, saying that Texas is happy to help our fellow Americans in Florida.
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See also: hurricane categories explained: How strong are each category?
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