SUMTER COUNTY, S.C. — Black River Electric crews are getting ready for power outages that could come to Sumter because of Hurricane Dorian.
Charlie Allen, the CEO of Black River Electric, says they along with the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina will have 40 different crews helping people across the state.
"We've got crews coming in from three different co-ops in Kentucky that are coming to help us," said Allen.
While there's no telling what the storm will do, the co-op says they're expecting anything from 7 to 10,000 power outages at any given time.
Allen says their staff trains twice a year for situations like this. They started meetings last week to make a plan and list the resources they would need for the hurricane.
"On all of the storms that we've had the last couple of years, we've had help from outside and some inside of the state," said Allen. "Because we've got so much potential on the coast, most of our in-state crews are helping on the coast. We're bringing from outside."
Allen says crews will remain in Sumter as long as they are needed.
"Until we get everything fixed in Sumter, Clarendon, Kershaw, and Lee counties, they're going to stay right here. Once we get cleared up here, they could very well move. We've got a plan for that too," explained Allen.
On Wednesday, staff helped prepare food and snacks for crews who will be out working on power. This way folks will be able to eat if businesses close down because of the storm.
The co-op wants to remind you stay away from downed power lines. They can be dangerous and no one should be around there.
"I just hope it's the minimum amount we can have of the storm. That we have the least number of people with power outages and the least number of people that have any harm at all," said Allen.
Black River Electric asks you to use their app or give them a call if you have any kind of power outages.