BUFFALO, N.Y. — There are now over 600 National Guard troops from the Niagara Falls airbase, and elsewhere in Western New York as well as from around the state including New York City.
They are here to provide a helping hand with storm relief in various ways including saving lives.
While there may be lingering questions as to when they were actually deployed by Gov. Kathy Hochul and her office, and whether it should have been sooner, we got a much better idea on Thursday as to what they have been doing in Buffalo.
There is a coordinated command center in the Connecticut Street Armory, where members of the Army National Guard and Air National Guard are taking in all the emergency information and various needs and then dispatching various units in military Humvees or other vehicles out to a variety of relief missions. They are also staging out of the Masten Street Armory.
Their response began small with also snow-bound Guard members, but others were then quickly mobilized.
Sgt. Major John D'Andrea of the 153rd Troop Command Unit told 2 on Your Side that "before we stood this operation center up, initially there was about seven of us, and we actually were operating out of our homes because we were all stuck. We live generally in the outskirts of the city, so we started this operation from our houses, and then once we were able to get into the city, we converged and moved into here."
Sgt. Kevin Au of the 107th Air National Guard unit at the airbase said, "We got a call on Friday. They pulled us in to get us engaged here in downtown that night. So we bedded down here in Buffalo through Saturday to Sunday, and so we've been doing mostly search and rescue missions, getting supplies out to shelters and people who need it.
"Doing runs to hospitals for patients, doctors and nurses who need to get in. Stuff like that. Helping get roads cleared. Right now we're focusing on snow removal efforts getting areas plowed, getting trucks full of snow out the door."
Au says there were also emergency medical calls during the storm.
"We had one gentleman who lived with an artificial heart that was battery powered," Sgt. Au said. "He was in need of getting a recharge. He had a spare battery that was in his home address, and we were also trying to get him to a hospital so they could plug him in. As I understand it, his battery had less than a half-hour of timeline before we were able to get him someplace safe."
A primary focus is also welfare checks at snow-bound homes. They handled over 1,000 between Wednesday and Thursday, especially for elderly residents.
"We've dealt with a lot of senior citizens," Staff Sgt. Cyle Alcorn of the 107th said. "You know it's a little tougher for them to take care of their houses. They can't obviously shovel like our younger guys can, stuff like that, so yeah, they're really thankful for us top help out and shovel, do whatever they need."
Sgt. Major D'Andrea says Guard members were also dispatched during the storm to help deliver a baby and assisted with some other maternity cases.
Airman Reagan Kramer, who is also with the 107th Air National Guard Attack Wing at Niagara Falls airbase, told 2 On Your Side: "We were mostly prepared for the most part about the weather, but it definitely was an eye-opening experience, seeing people blocked in their cars, blocked in their houses, the amount of people trying to get groceries, and things like that."
These National Guard troops are scheduled at this point to be on duty into early January, but they could be released earlier. They were proud to be mobilized for this hometown mission with a real meaning for them.
"One of the reason I joined the Guard was to do something nearby where I lived," Sgt. Au said. "I've been living here in Buffalo my whole life, so I get to not only serve my country and serve my community, I get to do it while also being near my family."