ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Dozens of people from metro-Atlanta were in Mississippi Wednesday morning helping Hurricane Isaac's victims.
Georgia Power dispatched more than 500 of its employees, including several dozen from Atlanta.
"We consider power an essential service. We treat it like that. It's one of those things that we constantly strive to get the lights back on quickly. We can't stop Mother Nature but what we can do is be there and respond," Storm Center director Aaron Strickland said.
Strickland said Georgia Power will help its sister companies in the Gulf states.
"We've got families. We understand the hardships, the aches, and it becomes our lineman, it becomes a mission of help for their neighbors and friends," Strickland said.
That's also the mission of the Red Cross. They respond when there's a natural disaster.
"When things like Isaac roll in, our ears all perk up. We know it's possible that we'll probably go help," Red Cross volunteer Tisha Rowland said.
Seventeen Red Cross volunteers loaded up disaster relief trucks in Atlanta Tuesday to take off for Hattiesburg, MS, where they'll work in shelters.
"They'll be helping with mass feeding and just that hands-on care when people need, when they have to leave home quickly," Red Cross employee Sherry Nicholson said.
Volunteers will likely stay along the Gulf Coast for a few weeks.
Power crews will stay as long as they're needed. They may be gone just a few days.
Copyright 2012 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
