Libertyville-based company sending portable generator systems down to Florida as Idalia bears down

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. - As Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida, leaving a path of destruction in its wake, local companies in Chicagoland were ramping up relief efforts.

On Wednesday morning, Libertyville-based business Garrett McKenzie sent a convoy of trucks to Florida.

The company serves restoration contractors nationwide and has responded to natural disasters in the past.

On this trip, they will be supplying portable generator systems and other necessary equipment to help businesses get back up and running.

"They were hauling primarily power, generators, a little bit of desiccant dehumidification, but mostly generators, power distribution, spider boxes, anything that we would need to set up and either repower a commercial building, or provide temporary power for a contractor working in the building if the power is out," said Dan Boot, Vice President of Operations at Garrett McKenzie. "As contractors are calling today, tomorrow, we'll mobilize the equipment where we're needed."

The equipment is set to arrive by lunchtime Thursday, and Boot says that if there is a need, they plan to send additional support.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 32 ON YOUTUBE

Depending on the damage, they could have boots on the ground for weeks – or even months.

"We’ve done everything from airports and hospitals, communications facilities, federal buildings and courthouses to hotels, apartment buildings," said Boot. "For us, we’re in work mode, and then the payoff comes towards the ends of the storm, when we're starting to see people come back to their place of business, employees start coming back to work, and then we see what our impact is where we're able to help families."

Meanwhile, in Chicago, World Vision – a humanitarian organization – prepared a large shipment of supplies for those impacted by the hurricane, including diapers, socks, personal care products, blankets, flood buckets and coolers. 

The American Red Cross mobilized more than 500 disaster responders in advance of the hurricane, and will continue to dispatch additional volunteers as they are needed. The organization also sent 45 specialty response vehicle and truckloads of supplies, including 100,000 ready-to-eat meals and enough shelter supplies to support 20,000 individuals.

For information on how you can offer support to the Hurricane Idalia relief effort, CLICK HERE.