'They need as much support as possible': WI utility workers head to Florida to assist with Hurricane Milton

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- While many Floridians in Milton's path are evacuating or hunkering down, there are a number of people heading south to help.

More than two dozen Wisconsin We Energies workers are answering Florida's call for help.

On Wednesday, Oct. 9, they headed down south to assist with the expected widespread power outages as Hurricane Milton makes its way to Florida's west coast.

"They need as much support as possible. My kids ask me why I'm going down there and it's to help people and we are here to give it," said Nathan Schkeryantz, We Energies Electric Operations Manager.

As Hurricane Milton makes landfall late Wednesday night, Wisconsin's utility workers are stepping in to assist.

"The type of damage that you see in a storm like this with broken poles, downed wires, a lot of downed trees there's a lot of work that has to take place before we can even get to some areas because of infrastructure, roads, flooding. The storm surge on this one looks like it's going to be pretty severe as well," said Dave Megna, We Energies Vice President of Wisconsin Field Operations. "A lot of things that are unique to Florida and so we are going to have to be very cautious about what we do and how we do it and make sure everybody makes it home."

Megna has been out on several hurricane relief missions and says getting customers back in service and being able to reconnect them with their loved ones means a lot to his crews.

"It can be emotional for people a lot of people that don't have power that lost homes, that lost personal property, they are so grateful to our crews, and it has an impact on our guys," said Megna.

This is Schkeryantz's first time working in hurricane conditions, but he says he and his crew took training courses and have prepared all the equipment they would need to work safely and efficiently.

"We are bringing enough gear and PPE if we are going to flood areas, rubber boots, rain gear things like that."

This is not the first time workers have gone down to help with hurricane relief.

Last month, 100 We Energies and WPS contract workers were sent to restore power after Hurricane Helene, they are still down south, now stationed in Tampa.

The workers are expected to stay in Florida for the next two weeks.