In Buffalo, Finger-Pointing and Mounting Criticism Over Storm Response

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Mr. Poloncarz acknowledged the controversy on Twitter Wednesday. “As I mentioned earlier right now in response as to if the driving ban ought to have been instituted earlier, I have no idea if it could have modified something nevertheless it was my determination and I bear full duty,” he wrote. “As JFK mentioned, ‘victory has 100 fathers, however defeat is an orphan.’ ”

Of those that died within the storm, greater than a dozen had been discovered outdoors. Different deaths had been attributed to delays by emergency personnel. Some folks froze of their properties. Some died of their automobiles. A number of suffered cardiac arrest whereas making an attempt to shovel or use snowblowers. Officers have mentioned they anticipate the demise toll to rise as extra victims are discovered and recognized.

On Wednesday lots of of Nationwide Guard troops fanned out throughout the realm. Officers mentioned that their mission had largely shifted from rescue operations to checks of properties that misplaced energy and to the big venture of eradicating snow from streets.

Because the temperature rose, four-person crews in about 25 Humvee automobiles checked on among the lots of of properties that also remained with out energy, officers mentioned. Troopers armed with shovels helped ease entry for utility corporations fixing downed strains.

“Anyplace that’s out of energy, we’re sending folks to verify on them,” mentioned Eric Durr, director of public affairs on the New York State Division of Army and Naval Affairs.

About 14 inexperienced and tan Humvees, in addition to bigger provide and safety vehicles, had been lined up simply north of downtown Buffalo outdoors the Connecticut Avenue Armory. Downtown streets had been largely cleared, with huge piles of snow pushed to the facet of roadways.

Legions of entrance loaders, in some circumstances trailed by state police automobiles, made important progress in a single day Tuesday into Wednesday in residential areas.

Simply earlier than midnight Tuesday, a number of residents stood out entrance of their properties cheering and waving, shovels in hand, as a lone loader rolled down a facet road pushing and scooping mounds of snow off to the facet of the highway, opening up a single lane to dig out their automobiles that had been trapped in a catacomb of snow for almost 5 days.



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