HARRISBURG, Pa. – Twenty-one members of the Pennsylvania National Guard have been activated in northwestern Pennsylvania in response to the winter storm in Erie County that dumped over 5 feet of snow.
"Our National Guard members are trained to assist the citizens of our commonwealth during severe winter storms like Erie is experiencing right now," said Gov. Tom Wolf, who activated the Guard members on Tuesday. "We are very fortunate that they live and work in our communities and are able to mobilize on short notice in order to provide the manpower and equipment needed in northwestern Pennsylvania."
The PNG is providing a number of high-clearance all-terrain military vehicles to aid local agencies with medical emergency and law enforcement response, assisting with safety and wellness checks, transporting essential emergency services personnel, and assigning a liaison to the Erie County Emergency Operations Center.
Pennsylvania has the third largest National Guard in the country with approximately 20,000 members located in more than 80 armories and readiness centers statewide.