Why The National Guard Is Going Door-To-Door In One US City
The National Guard was called into Buffalo, NY, to perform door-to-door wellness checks after the city's death toll rose above 30 due to the winter storm.
With an extreme storm causing havoc nationwide, some places are getting hit worse than others. The National Guard is going door to door to check on civilians in New York. As the death toll in the city of Buffalo has risen to a heart-breaking 50 people, the storm is starting to cause serious problems, especially for the people in Western New York.
In Erie County, over thirty people have been pronounced dead due to the terrible winter storm. Most of these deaths occurred in the city of Buffalo, but seven people were found in the suburbs. Three people who died due to this storm have yet to be identified.
The weather has been so extreme in New York that the federal government has sent the National Guard to start door-to-door wellness checks. These checks will begin on Wednesday morning and continue for two days. As a lot of homes are still without power, it is a necessary precaution to ensure no one is suffering alone. The National Guard wellness checks focus on the older generation, people who live alone and without power, as they are the most vulnerable.
Due to efforts from local law enforcement and emergency services, 65% of all the city streets in Buffalo are at least one lane available for people to maneuver around. This percentage will increase to 100% in the next few days. This will help emergency travel become a smoother, less difficult process.
People will be relieved to know that the worst of the storm is over, as yesterday the temperature rose, with even higher temperatures expected today. Temperatures should hit the low-50s by Friday, which should start to give people a little relief.
Anyone without power for three days or more can be reimbursed for the loss of food or prescription medicine. The request for reimbursement should be made to the National Guard within fourteen days of the power outage.
Since the storm is starting to ease off, people are questioning whether Buffalo’s storm preparations are up to scratch. Also, people are wondering if the travel ban should have been implemented earlier to prevent any death that has occurred through traveling in the storm. The travel ban was implemented at 9.30 am, but the storm had already turned quite terrible, with the temperature dropping significantly and rain sharply turning to snow.
Marc Poloncarz, Erie County Executive, released a statement stating that the call for the travel ban to be implemented when it was, was down to him and him alone. He said that he made the final call on behalf of Erie County.
The winter bomb cyclone has caused devastation throughout the country, leaving over sixty people dead and many more without power or heat; this is why the National Guard has come to help. So many holiday plans were canceled as, in some places, it was unsafe to travel. As the storm is not starting to ease, people need to stay vigilant in keeping themselves safe until they are told otherwise, as safety is everyone’s number one priority.
