Three Vicksburg area linemen are among a team of Entergy employees and contract workers heading for the East Coast to help restore power in the wake of Hurricane Florence, Entergy consumer service representative Shelia McKinnis said.

According to Entergy Mississippi, the utility is sending 50 employees, 40 contract workers and 12 scouts to the East Coast to help restore power outages caused by Florence.

The assistance is part of a long-standing mutual assistance agreement where utilities help one another out in times of need. When requested by a utility company, Entergy will send what workers they can spare while keeping enough at home to meet the daily needs of Entergy customers.

A Category 2 storm, Florence made landfall Thursday in North Carolina near its state line with South Carolina, with high winds and torrential rains.

The Entergy Mississippi crews are assigned to South Carolina Electric and Gas Co. Entergy has the ability to call back crews to assist with restoration work if its service area is hit by a tropical storm.

McKinnis said utility officials are keeping an eye on a low pressure system in the Gulf of Mexico and Tropical Storm Isaac, which is in the Caribbean.

America Red Cross Mississippi Region spokesman John Brown said 12 volunteers have already been deployed, with teams going to Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia.

“We have also put our nine emergency response trucks on standby,” he said. “They are loaded with water and snacks and are ready to go if needed.”

He said the Red Cross was also watching the Gulf and the Caribbean in case either Isaac or the low threatens the coast.