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As weather forecasters are predicting that “yet another one to three feet of snow will likely fall over western New York state during the next 48 hours after a mammoth winter storm earlier this week,” our National Guard troops — as always — are already responding to this emergency.
On Nov. 18, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called up 240 soldiers and airmen to assist the city of Buffalo and Erie County in the response to the historic snowfall. Within 24 hours, that number grew to the 375 expected on duty today.
New York Air National Guard’s 107th Security Forces from Niagara Falls, N.Y., gather their gear to deploy to areas in western New York in response to a snow emergency, Nov. 18, 2014. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Ray Lloyd
“We are deploying the National Guard to ramp up efforts to keep western New York residents safe and to assist storm recovery efforts in any way possible,” Cuomo said. “Travel bans and advisories remain in effect, and I urge drivers to stay off the roads so that our state agencies and the National Guard can assist those that need help.”
With weather forecasts showing continued snowfall through tomorrow and a warming trend through the weekend that highlight flooding concerns, New York National Guard leaders said they expect to maintain a strong presence in the Erie County Emergency Management Office.
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Lead photo: A New York National Guard airman assists in snow removal efforts from the roof of the Eden Heights Assisted Living Facility in West Seneca, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2014. The airman is assigned to the 107th Airlift Wing based in Niagara Falls, N.Y. (Photo DOD)
The author is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a writer.