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Grand Haven Board of Light & Power helping Florida after Hurricane Ian

Posted at 12:26 PM, Sep 29, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-29 12:26:28-04

Officials warn damage from Hurricane Ian may vary greatly depending on where people live.

While many buildings in Florida are built to withstand the strength of winds like Ian's, serious damage can still occur, usually because of flooding. That, combined with winds that can rip off roofs or force water through windows, is a brutal combination that can lead to serious water damage in homes, potentially costing thousands.

"Buildings in Florida, right now at least, are built to withstand 140, 150 miles per hour. That's kind of the range that Hurricane Ian is at right now. The most common thing that happens is roofs get lifted off, roof gets damaged, and rain gets inside. So, sometimes it might not even be so much, you know, horrible ripping off of, of buildings or ripping apart of houses, but you get enough of an opening that the water can get in and do a tremendous amount of damage," said Fred Haan, professor of engineering at Calvin University.

Experts say that up to 12 feet of water could flood Florida streets and houses on the coast.

The clean-up and rescue efforts will be a massive undertaking.

But the Grand Haven Board of Light & Power is going to help.

It sent a crew down to Winter Park, Florida, to support local authorities in restoring the electrical system following Hurricane Ian.

Three line workers along with some heavy machinery will join scores of crews from across the country to assist central Florida where more than 300,000 people have already lost power.

In a statement, the utility said, "We are proud to be able to provide support during this emergency event. The willingness of everyone involved in the mutual aid process demonstrates the collaborative spirit and brotherhood in the electrical utility industry. We actually have more volunteers than we are able to send!"

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