A New York Army National Guard soldier assigned to the 827th Engineer Company uses a front-end loader to clear snow from the parking lot at the Erie County Fire Training Academy in Cheektowaga, N.Y., on Dec,. 26, 2022. The New York National Guard mobilized 450 airmen and soldiers to respond to the storm. (New York National Guard)
WASHINGTON — Hundreds of National Guard troops are on the ground in Western New York providing badly needed help after a devastating winter storm brought the area to a chilly and snowy standstill, military officials said Tuesday.
At least 4 feet of snow fell in the Buffalo area on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and has caused all kinds of chaos — from canceled flights to impossible road conditions. Authorities also say dozens of people have died as a result of the storm, and President Joe Biden has approved a disaster declaration to make New York eligible for federal aid.
On Tuesday, the New York National Guard said it has deployed more than 450 soldiers and airmen to the Buffalo area to help in all kinds of ways — such as giving backup to Buffalo police officers, transporting health workers and patients and rescuing citizens in trouble.
New York Air National Guard airmen assigned to the 107th Attack Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station assist motorists stuck in high snow drifts near Buffalo, N.Y., Dec. 25, 2022. (New York National Guard)
The New York National Guard said soldiers and airmen had rescued at least 86 people from hazardous situations by Tuesday afternoon. In one case, they transported a pregnant woman to a hospital just before she gave birth.
“We have a running joke internally about how many babies Lt. [Richard] Burns is going to deliver today,” Maj. Luke Udell, an Army operations officer in the Buffalo area, said of one of the Guardsmen.
The bulk of the historic snowstorm arrived in Western New York just before Christmas and dumped several inches on the Buffalo area on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas. As conditions worsened, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul mobilized the New York National Guard to help.
“This is an epic, statewide hazard,” said Hochul, who called it a “once in a generation” storm. She added that many shuttered highways reopened Tuesday.
New York Army National Guard soldiers assigned to the 827th Engineer Company and airman assigned to the 174th Attack Wing help to clear snow to recover an AMR ambulance in Buffalo, N.Y., Dec. 26, 2022. (Eric Durr/New York National Guard)
“That doesn’t mean we can let our guards down,” she said in a statement. “It will take many more days for the region to dig out.
“But this is still good news.”
In addition to the hundreds of New York National Guard airmen and soldiers that were already in Western New York, officials said at least 80 more would be mobilized.
Trouble with air travel to and from the Buffalo area, however, continues.
Southwest Airlines again canceled thousands of flights on Tuesday due to the storm, and the carrier has already canceled thousands more on Wednesday and Thursday, according to flight-tracking website FlightAware.
New York Air National Guard airmen assigned to the 174th Attack Wing us a runway clearing snowblower to remove snow from I-90 in Buffalo, N.Y., on Dec. 26, 2022. (New York National Guard)
“With consecutive days of extreme winter weather across our network behind us, continuing challenges are impacting our customers and employees in a significant way that is unacceptable,” the airline said in a statement Tuesday.
“We were fully staffed and prepared for the approaching holiday weekend when the severe weather swept across the continent.”
Officials said there will be a federal investigation into the cancellations to determine why Southwest flights were more affected by the winter storm than flights on other carriers.
“These operational conditions forced daily changes of an unprecedented volume and magnitude to our flight schedule and the tools our teams use to recover the airline remain at capacity,” Southwest added.
“With no concern higher than ultimate safety, the people of Southwest share a goal to take care of each and every customer. We recognize falling short and sincerely apologize.”
