A new report finds several shortcomings in Buffalo’s response to a historic December blizzard in which 31 city residents died
— Buffalo’s snow-removal fleet was no match for the historic Christmas week blizzard that left 31 people dead in the city, and officials fell short in issuing warnings and providing shelter, according to a report released Friday.
The 175-page review of the city’s response by New York University’s Wagner Graduate School of Public Service found shortcomings in snow-removal resources, utilities and communications as hurricane-force winds and whiteout conditions raged for 37 hours, trapping people in freezing homes and cars.
“Rescue vehicles got stuck in the snow or frozen to the ground, rescuers became disoriented and lost, emergency vehicles couldn’t get through, and motorists got stranded,” according to the report, which said the blizzard lasted longer than any prior storm below 5,000 feet of elevation in continental U.S. history.
A total of 46 people died across Erie County, which is home to Buffalo.
Mayor Byron Brown commissioned the report amid questions about why, in a region known for frequent and heavy snowstorms, this one was so devastating.
The city has since begun purchasing more snow equipment and created new positions to oversee resources and emergency operations, Brown said.
