While residents continue to dig their way out, Governor Cuomo deploys resources to further assist with snow removal

While residents continue to dig their way out, Governor Cuomo deploys resources to further assist with snow removalPictured, a secondary road, George Street, is cleared in Owego, N.Y. (Photo by Wendy Post)

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that additional state resources have been deployed to help bolster local efforts to dig out from Wednesday’s severe snowstorm. The effort, led by the State Department of Transportation, involves dozens of trucks and personnel from several agencies working around-the-clock with the localities to help clear snow and bring things back to normal.

 

“New Yorkers always come together in an emergency and when cities impacted by Wednesday’s snowstorm asked for assistance, the answer was a quick and resounding yes,” Governor Cuomo said, adding, “Recent months have shown that there is nothing New Yorkers can’t handle when we all work together, and we will always be there to support any of our local partners in their time of need.”

 

On Dec. 17, Governor Cuomo declared a State of Emergency in 18 counties after more than two feet of snow fell across much of the state, with the Southern Tier experiencing the highest snowfall totals. Albany, Binghamton and Schenectady were among the hardest hit areas of the state and requested assistance under the emergency declaration, according to the governor; although Newark Valley in Tioga County saw 44-inches of snowfall, the highest recorded in the state.

 

In the City of Binghamton, which received more than 40 inches of snow, the State Department of Transportation worked with the City in managing snow removal operations. State DOT crews helped plow city streets and are conducting “load and haul” missions to get snow off streets. To support local cleanup operations, DOT made the following deployments:

  • Broome County: 77 operators; 51 large plow trucks; 24 loaders; 2 snowblowers
  • Albany County: 17 operators; 7 medium plow trucks; 5 loaders and 5 large plow trucks
  • Schenectady County:  17 operators and 6 supervisors; 14 large plow trucks and three skid steers

 

The State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has also dispatched a loader team consisting of a bucket loader, dump truck and operators.

 

Additionally, the New York State Thruway Authority provided support to Broome County as a whole. Specifically, it has dispatched 5 personnel, a lowboy with a loader and snow blower attachment, a horse with a dump trailer, a 10-wheeled dump truck, a one-ton pick-up truck with a plow and an additional pick-up truck with a 100-gallon fuel tank.

 

In Schenectady, a 7-ton plow truck and operator from the Thruway Authority and two dump trucks and operators from the Department of Environmental Conservation have been dispatched to provide the city with additional snow removal resources.

 

In Albany, the Thruway Authority also dispatched a 7-ton plow truck, with the State Parks providing a plow truck and a duel axle dump truck. The Department of Environmental Conservation also contributed an additional plow. All deployments included personnel to operate the machines.

 

State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The New York State Department of Transportation is proud to work with our partners and assist communities across the state recover from Wednesday’s winter storm and the record snow fall that it produced. Nobody responds better to an emergency than the State of New York and when severe weather strikes, we all join forces to protect the public and help our communities return to normal as quickly as possible.”

 

Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew J. Driscoll said, “New York is once again showing why it is a leader in emergency response and The Thruway Authority is proud to deploy crews and equipment to help our neighbors when it’s needed the most, we stand at the ready to send more if and when called upon.”

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