ATLANTA — The Gulf is bracing for the impact of Hurricane Laura.
The force of the storm is expected to take out power in the area. Georgia Power crews are on stand-by to help out where needed.
"We have Georgia Power crews across the state ready to go to respond if and when Hurricane Laura hits the Gulf," said Allison Gregory, spokesperson for Georgia Power.
Hundreds of workers are on stand-by to help Mississippi Power with recovery in the wake of the storm.
"We help each other out when it is needed," Gregory said.
Mississippi Power crews jumped in to help Georgia Power back in 2017. That’s when trees downed from Hurricane Irma toppled power lines. Georgia Power said it has business-as-usual this hurricane season, despite the need for additional pandemic precautions.
"It just means that there is an extra layer of safety put in," Gregory said. "So, our crews that are out in the field are practicing COVID-19 guidelines from the CDC, so that means they’re practicing social distancing even with the crews themselves."
Gregory said crews are wearing personal protective equipment, masks and using hand sanitizer to stay healthy. Meanwhile, most Georgia Power employees have been working remotely. Front line workers are still on the job.
The power company says customers should prepare for the storm like any other year by having an emergency kit ready to go and sign up for their outage alerts to get updates on outages and repairs.