As the remnants of Hurricane Francine churn towards the Mid-South, Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) is mobilizing its forces in readiness for a storm that promises to test the fabric of the city's utility infrastructure. In a statement to Action News 5, MLGW CEO Doug McGowen shared that “21 full-time crews will be on standby, ready to assess damage and make repairs,” while a formidable fleet of 130 tree trimming crews are poised to clear debris, even as they acknowledge the insurmountable challenge of nature's larger arboreal giants.

Preparations extend beyond the purview of MLGW; with DeWayne Rose, Director of Emergency Management, airing concerns on potential flooding problems and the stranding of vehicles amidst three to four inches of expected rainfall, according to a WREG report. The infrastructural brace for impact segues into personal preparedness, with MLGW dispensing advice on securing outside items and the mustering of emergency kits, it is a dance of anticipation and reaction, it is a watchful patience for winds and rain.

The storm's trajectory postulates a Category 2 pinnacle before yielding to gravity's pull, heading for a landfall in Louisiana and stretching its watery fingers northward, bringing with it not just rain but a thinly veiled threat of destruction, wind gusts whipping in excess of 40 mph capable of unleashing chaos as described by ABC24 Meteorologist Trevor Birchett.

As the eyes of Memphis and its neighbors turn skyward, bracing for Francine’s fury, MLGW entrenches, prepared for round-the-clock restoration endeavors, sounding the call to residents for vigilance and preparation in a public service campaign, a utility spokesperson noted preparedness in an ABC24 interview. Amidst the calls for readiness, the pragmatics of travel wade into the fore, with the Memphis International Airport advising travelers to maintain a thread of contact with their airlines, for the whims of Francine may well dictate a different tempo for their journeys.