Patience urged as blizzard travel bans remain but power outages ease

The blizzard killed at least 28 people in Erie and Niagara counties, including 20 in Buffalo, officials in western New York confirmed.

“Our deepest condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones as a result of this horrific situation,” said Erie County Administrator Mark Polonkers, who confirmed at least 27 deaths in Erie County. “I never thought I’d see this happen. I thought the storm we faced in 2014 would be the worst, killing 14 people, but it’s far exceeded that.”

Niagara County reported a confirmed storm death on Sunday, apparently from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Poloncars said the 1977 blizzard lasted longer, but this time the storm was worse.

For first responders, essential workers such as snowplow drivers and health care workers, and residents, it will be a long, difficult and emotionally draining situation. Many of them wanted to visit family and celebrate Christmas weekend rather than seek shelter from the storm. It blew the region out with wind, snow and heartbreak.

“This blizzard will continue for many years,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday. “It’s certainly the blizzard of the century.”

Hochul said the White House has pledged to expedite state requests to declare a federal emergency in Erie and Niagara counties.In a joint statement Monday, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand also supported such a declaration, considering the “once-in-a-generation blizzard” that hit western New York.

Support for western New York also comes from other counties in the state, including Nassau, Monroe, and Albany.

“You will still be stuck there”

As western New York continues to respond to the aftermath of the storm, officials are still asking residents of hard-hit areas to stay off the road.

As of Monday afternoon, driving bans are still in effect in the cities of Buffalo and Lackawanna, as well as the towns of Amherst, Cheektowaga, Clarence and Hamburg. The rest of Erie County’s municipal bans have been lifted and replaced with driving advisories instead.

In suburbs where driving bans still remain, Poloncarz has spoken with local government officials and said he expects those bans to last all day Monday and possibly through Tuesday.

Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown stressed that city officials need to keep people on the road.

“You’ll still be stuck there,” said Brown. , driving conditions are still very difficult. Driving bans are still in force. Please don’t drive. In the City of Buffalo.”

Brown says the focus of the city’s work so far has been “safety of life,” with reaching out to stranded motorists, emergency workers answering medical calls, and the National Grid building power plants. We help you access the

4 substations damaged

State, county and city officials reported Monday’s progress on restoring power, including some residents who have been without power since Friday.

Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said about 12,500 homes were without power in Erie County as of Monday afternoon, down from about 23,000 the night before. Brown said he had over 20,000 at the height of the storm, but now he has fewer than 10,000 households without power in Buffalo.

Bray pointed out that there are four damaged substations that supply power to the city. Of those four, all have been fully re-energized, but two of them still need their power distribution circuits fixed.

“We are doing everything we can to restore power,” she said.

Transition from rescue operations

Erie County Deputy Sheriff William Cooley said the county is beginning to move from storm relief efforts to implementation for medical needs and dialysis treatments. In addition, it assists critical personnel entering the hospital to perform emergency surgery, and frees up exhausted staff after completing work.Duration of the storm.

Poloncarz said he expects law enforcement to return to its traditional duties within the next 24 to 40 hours.

“As we begin to gain the upper hand in this storm, please continue to adhere to travel bans and warnings,” Cooley said. is.”

Poloncarz also addressed reports of residents trapped in their homes running out of food.

“That’s a concern we’re working on,” he said. “We discussed the possibility this morning that even first responders working non-stop may need to go out of the county to pick up food elsewhere and bring it in.

Major grocery stores evaluate reopening

County officials also said they hoped some suburbs where driving was banned on Monday will be able to reopen on Tuesday, which should help many supermarkets reopen.

Wegmans spokeswoman Michele Mehaffy said the chain’s Erie and Niagara County stores will remain closed on Monday. However, Wegmans said, “We plan to assess the movement of trucks with deliveries and safely return our employees to the store.”

Tops Markets spokeswoman Kathy Sawter said the Niagara County store reopened as planned, with several stores opening in Erie County, but “we will continue to evaluate the situation on a store-by-store basis as the day progresses. There are,” he said.

Poloncarz reiterated that the storm had led to horrific conditions.

“I see some kind of light at the end of the tunnel, but this is not the end yet,” he said. “We are not there. As I pointed out, there are driving bans that will continue to exist in the community for some time. At least during the day.