Bay Area emergency repsonders geared up Thursday night to head into what's expected to be a disaster zone in Florida as Hurricane Matthew made landfall there.
Some travelers hoping to get to Florida were stranded at San Francsico International Airport, with a total of 14 flights canceled due to the hurricane.
But while those travelers wait, area emergency responders prepare to leave - doctors, nurses, paramedics, admin support personnel and even utility crews.
Dave Lipen is with the Bay Area Disaster Medical Assistance Team. He spent Thursday packing up medical supplies for a portable emergency room.
"Anything from going into the ER that's overflowing with patients when they need more staff to setting up a civilian MASH unit," he said, describing what his duties might be.
PG&E crews planned to pack up, too. Dozens of line workers and equipment operators were set to leave for Florida on Friday to repair what the Category 3 hurricane is expected to destroy. But on Friday morning, PG&E spokeswoman Karly Hernandez said crews were not needed because the storm wasn't as bad as originally thought.
