Oncor crews head to Florida ahead of Hurricane Dorian

Oncor crews deployed to Florida on Friday to help with Hurricane Dorian recovery ahead of landfall.

Oncor sent more than 100 employees and contractors as part of a mutual assistance effort to have power restoration resources in place. Oncor said all of people volunteered to help after Florida's largest utility company activated their emergency response plan.

During these type of situations, crews focus on replacing broken power poles, restringing downed power lines and clearing out downed trees.

Oncor crews are headed to Tampa at the moment but that could always change depending on the storm's path. They could potentially be there for up to two weeks.

The National Hurricane Center says the Category 2 storm is expected to strengthen into a Category 4. It could be potentially catastrophic with winds of 130 miles per hour.

The storm is on track to make landfall on Monday or Tuesday, somewhere between the Florida Keys and southern Georgia. No immediate mass evacuations have been ordered.

The Oncor crews will stop in Mississippi on Friday night and then continue their journey on Saturday.

Travelers and local organizations are already doing what they can to prepare.

"I can't believe we were able to get here, this morning, I'm very happy to be home," said Chiquita Kerr.

Kerr is grateful to be back home in North Texas after spending hours on the phone trying to get a flight out of Miami.

Kerr was on a five-day cruise to the Bahamas that was cut short as Hurricane Dorian grew stronger.

"They docked us early, they cut off two days of the actual vacation and everybody was scrambling to get flights out," Kerr added.

As people in Florida try to get out of Dorian's path, North Texas groups are headed toward the storm.

"They'll hunker down in Tampa while that storm passes, and stay in coordination with our Florida utility partners to determine the areas of highest need, and as soon as it's safe to get out on the road, they'll be working to get the power turned back on," said Kerri Dunn, with ONCOR.

Volunteers at World Vision are working fast to assemble hygiene and food kits for hurricane victims.

"We're preparing to send a truck the first part of next week, out into the Florida area," said Roberta Taylor, with World Vision. "We want to try and get ahead of it, but get in the outlying areas so it'll be easier and quicker for us to get in."

Two trucks full of cleaning supplies, non-perishable food, and toiletries will be heading from World Vision to Florida, and the organization is preparing to send more if needed.

"The need is going to be great. We're all still praying that it turns, but if it doesn't we'll be ready," Taylor said.