The Baltimore region ratcheted crews to help in the relief efforts in Texas and Louisiana after Hurricane Ike destroyed portions of the Gulf Coast.
A 70-person team from Baltimore Gas and Electric Inc. service center in Ellicott City was expected to arrive Sunday in Longview, Texas, before receiving instructions on where they’ll work on restoring power with crews from the Gulf Coast Utility Entergy Corp., said Linda Foy, spokeswoman for BGE, on Sunday.
“We expect them to begin work on Entergy’s electric system sometime [today],” she said.
They are expected to stay for about two weeks, BGE officials said.
While there, BGE will use its mobile operation center for the first time for an out-of-state emergency assignment, BGE officials said.
The center is equipped with Internet, satellite, cellular and other communication capabilities.
In addition, Howard fire and rescue officials were sent to Alexandria, La., in response to a request for help with Hurricane Ike victims from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, said Anne Hoffmann, fire department spokeswoman.
“I’m proud of the staff that we have helping out in Louisiana area following the recent hurricane activity there,” said Howard County Fire Chief Joseph Herr in a statement
“Our personnel have worked and continue to work diligently in that area to provide necessary assistance and relief while maintaining a high level of professionalism.”
The group will be down south for up to 14 days.
The aid from several states, including Maryland, will go a long way to help the battered Galveston Island, Dolph Tillotson, publisher of the Galveston County Daily News, told The Examiner on Sunday.
“Obviously, all this help is appreciated tremendously,” he said.
“Everybody is struggling in these really difficult circumstances.”
Hurricane Ike hit Galveston Island in Texas at 2:10 a.m. Saturday, as a Category 2 storm, bringing maximum winds at 75 to 100 mph, according to AccuWeather.
The good news was no deaths were reported on the island, which has a population of about 57,000, but power lines are down and no areas have power, he said.
“The devastation is great,” he said. “There’s a hardly a building out there not affected in some way.”
He also said many means of communication were disrupted.
“We’re pretty much how Galveston was 300 years ago now,” he said.
IKE’S IMPACT ON BALTIMORE
Hurricane Ike has downgraded to a tropical rainstorm and is headed to the lower Great Lakes, officials reported.
Though Baltimore may be safe from the storm, residents will feel its affects in higher gas prices.
The average price for a regular gallon of gas in Baltimore was $3.62 on Sunday, up from $3.55 on Saturday, according to AAA.
The state average is slightly more than Baltimore at $3.63.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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