Nassau County is coming to the aid of Erie County – and so are others.
A platoon of 18 volunteer public works and emergency management employees, with two payloaders and other equipment in tow, left Christopher Morley Park in Long Island for Buffalo at 9 a.m. to help with recovery efforts. The caravan, which includes a New York State Police escort of four vehicles, is expected to reach Buffalo this evening.
The arrangement was solidified through an exchange involving two elected officials who had never met: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, a Republican, and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, a Democrat.
"In times like this, we're all Americans and all residents of the State of New York," Blakeman said.
In addition to Nassau County, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said help is also on the way to Western New York from Monroe and Albany counties. In addition, Buffalo Mayor Byron W. Brown said the mayors of Rochester, Syracuse and Mount Vernon have reached out to offer assistance.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul said Rochester has sent members from the Rochester Police Department to Western New York to help. Further, National Guard members from Niagara County, Rochester and Syracuse have come to the area to assist.
"This is an all hands on deck from the state of New York to help the people of Buffalo and Western New York altogether," Hochul said.
Blakeman, the Nassau County executive, said the offer of aid "isn't about politics."
"It's a humanitarian effort, and we are returning the favor from the people of Erie County during Superstorm Sandy," Blakeman said.
That help in 2012, Blakeman said, included firefighters from the region who volunteered to help with the recovery.
"We thank County Executive Blakeman for offering us assistance as we continue to deal with this unprecedented situation," Poloncarz said.
"As soon as they arrive here these individuals will immediately assist us and be put out on calls wherever they are needed," he said.
The plan to help came after Gov. Kathy Hochul called Blakeman on Saturday to check on how he was faring with coastal flooding and plummeting temperatures.
After she spoke of Buffalo's devastating blizzard to Blakeman, he got in touch with Poloncarz by getting his number from the Association of Counties, since they had never spoken before.
Poloncarz provided a list of machinery they could use and followed that up with "a very beautiful text message" thanking him, Blakeman said.
The equipment also includes a large generator, large air pump and pickup trucks.
"When someone is in dire circumstances, and when you have the resources to help and you don't, it would be a terrible shame," he said. "We're just trying to do our part."
Mark Sommer covers preservation, development, the waterfront, culture and more. He's also a former arts editor at The News.Â
