Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) is prepped and ready to make the trek south to aid in the recovery efforts after Hurricane Idalia makes landfall. 

Even though they’re based in Lexington, KY., the company is no stranger to working in the south. “For over 30 years, EDS has responded to all sorts of devastation,” Matt Daley, the director of communications and logistics for EDS, told WKYT News. 

The company is a national rapid response group that has supported federal agencies and communities impacted by disasters for over 20 years.

For the upcoming storm hitting Florida, EDS also told WKYT they plan on sending roughly 100 people to a previously set up site in Sarasota, established to help utility companies. When the hurricane is completely out of the area, EDS will erect a semi-permanent base camp. 

“We expect there’s going to be anywhere between two to three million people without power,” Daley said during his interview with WKYT. “Utility companies will utilize our base camp services to go and re-establish those transmission lines where those are down and also do debris removal.” 

The crew plans to put up multiple camps and will move them over time as needed to areas in the most need. Daley also reported that EDS will provide aid and services to those who were forced from their home during the storm. 

The company will keep the team in the area for as long as their help is needed, and there is something they can provide. 

“Sadly, as the warming climate continues to affect the gulf, especially, our services are just in high demand,” Daley said. “There’s not a lot of downtime, and we’re not spending as much time with our families as we used to, but that’s just part of this deal, and we’re happy to do what we do.”

Information sourced from WKYT News - https://www.wkyt.com/2023/08/29/lexington-based-disaster-recovery-team-move-idalia-prepares-make-landfall/