National Guard finds more fatalities in Erie County as temperatures rise.
National Guard troops in Buffalo, New York, have found more people deceased in the wake of a deep Christmas blizzard, bringing the toll to at least 40 dead. The winter storm knocked out power to thousands of homes across the region.
The National Guard has helped clear the snow this week as they conduct door-to-door wellness checks in the areas where power was out for lengthy periods. “We are fearful there are individuals who may have perished living alone, or two people who are not doing well in an establishment, especially those who still don’t have power,” said Mark Poloncarz, the Erie County executive.
Some people who died were found frozen either out in the snow or stranded in their cars, while a couple of others had cardiac events after shoveling or snow-blowing. One woman died due to not having power to her oxygen tank.
Though temperatures will be warming up, the conditions do not bring relief to the county’s government and residents. “We’re actually expecting a rapid melt over the next two days, because we’re going to hit 50 degrees (Fahrenheit),” Executive Poloncarz said. “We are preparing with the state for the possibility of flooding.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Executive Polocarz as he oversees rescue and recovery efforts.
- For first responders and members of the National Guard as they endeavor to help those whose lives have been threatened by power outages.
- For the families of loved ones who perished in the arctic temperatures of the blizzard.
Sources: Buffalo News, Reuters
