BUFFALO, N.Y. - The New York National Guard had 780 personnel on duty Monday in western New York as part of Operation Lake Effect – the relief mission for areas blanketed last week by up to 7 feet of snow. Six hundred troops were assigned directly to the task force working in the Buffalo area.
As snow clearing continues, Soldiers and Airmen are working to minimize effects of anticipated flooding.
"Our guys are motivated," Capt. Jared Kausner told TV station WIVB. "Their motivation alone is keeping us going, and progress has been going good so far."
About 50 Soldiers sandbagged houses in a West Seneca housing development Sunday night. Those homes are known to be in a flood-prone zone.Stockpiling of sandbags will continue Monday, the New York National Guard.
Since the mission began, Soldiers and Airmen have conducted 8,405 man hours of snow removal, manned 54 traffic control points, conducted 55 transportation missions for medical personnel and patient, placed 2,500 sandbags, delivered 200 meals and cleared 700 fire hydrants, along with continuing snow-removal missions.
A UH-72 and UH-60 are standing by for missions at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Rochester as well as 20 high-axle LMTV trucks on standby with crews to respond to any flood-related incidents. Four HMMWVs have been assigned to a response force in case water rescues are needed.
Satellite communications equipment was also being moved into the area to support state agencies responding to the snowstorm.
There are 44 dump trucks, 13 front-end loaders, 77 HMMWVs, 13 tractor trailors, 20 Bobcat/skid steer-type vehicles, and two bulldozers assigned to the mission, mainly working snow removal.
The two large Osh Kosh runway snow blowers have been working around the clock and the Department of Transportation appears to have no more missions for those specialized pieces of equipment so they will be sent back to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base Monday unless another mission comes up. (These vehicles are less effective with wet snow.)
"Our Soldiers and Airmen will continue to clear snow from fire hydrants and will clear storm water drains in low lying areas to assist with flood prevention. Sandbag productions operations at Erie County Community College and the Hamburg DOT facility will continue. Guard Soldiers will continue to assist law enforcement with traffic control operations in Hamburg and will provide general assistance to law enforcement in both Hamburg and Boston," a Guard statement said.