While millions of residents are fleeing Florida ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall on Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom is sending task force teams from California, including some from the Bay Area, to respond to the hurricane. Bob Redell reports.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday deployed more California first responders to Florida, including some from the Bay Area, as Hurricane Milton made landfall in the Tampa Bay area that night.
By Thursday, more than 3 million people remained without power across the state and tornados had ravaged areas. The storm had reached Category 5 wind speeds in the Gulf of Mexico, but slowed to a Category 3 at landfall and then Category 1 as it exited the state.
Hurricane and storm surge warnings were removed for most areas, but flood advisories remained in effect Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
An additional 70 firefighters joined 144 already sent from California to Florida to help with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which ravaged multiple Southern states on Sept. 27.
Firefighters from Orange County and the Menlo Park Fire Protection District include "highly specialized" personnel trained in structural collapse and flood environments, Newsom's office said.
In total, California has now deployed 354 first responders to the disaster zone.
Additionally, last Friday, PG&E sent over 400 personnel and 300 vehicles to Georgia to provide mutual aid to Georgia Power to restore power across areas impacted by Helene.
On Tuesday, PG&E said it would reassign personnel and vehicles to Daytona Beach, Florida, to support power restoration efforts after Milton passes through the area.
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