Some Erie County plow crews have been pulled off the road. The county's 911 center is getting slammed, though many calls are not emergencies. Some people have tried driving and are getting stranded.
That's the blizzard, so far. And it's only Friday.
Highway crews in the northern part of the county have been taken off the road because it's "too dangerous for them to be out there," County Executive Mark Poloncarz said during a Friday afternoon briefing.
Those who have ventured out despite a countywide driving ban and have gotten stranded should call police to let them know about their locations. But that doesn't mean someone will immediately be sent out to help you, because conditions remain extremely hazardous, Poloncarz said.
People are also reading…
"There's no reason to be outside," he said.
Buffalo News reporter Charlie Specht walks along Main Street in East Aurora as a blizzard blows through the area on Friday, Dec. 23, 2022.
A driving ban remains in effect for the county, as well as Niagara, Genesee and Orleans counties.
The county's 911 center has been receiving calls at a rate of about 400 per hour. Typically, the rate is fewer than 100 per hour.
Many of the calls are "inappropriate" for the emergency line, county officials said.
Emergency Services Commissioner Daniel Neaverth estimated the number of calls that need to be "weeded out" at about 90% of what's coming in.
Erie County Sheriff's officials reported "white out" conditions across the county.
Deputies have been responding to those who disregarded the driving ban and got stuck, Chief Brian Brizzalaro said, noting he also told deputies that he doesn't want them "to become part of the problem, either."
Driving during a travel ban is "not safe" and "not smart," he said.
Deputy Public Works Commissioner Karen Hoak described driving conditions as "extreme."
Those who are caught driving during a ban could be charged with a misdemeanor for violating a state of emergency, the county executive said.
If you are stuck in your vehicle, officials recommend you run it for about 10 minutes every hour – not continually – to keep the temperature inside from getting too cold, Poloncarz said.
Occupants should also check that the tailpipe is clear and turn on the vehicle's flashers.
The county has set up a hotline to help those who need to receive dialysis treatment or who have run out of life-saving medications. That phone number is 716-858-7669.
Poloncarz encouraged employers to keep employees at their work sites, rather than sending them home and having to travel in these conditions.
Poloncarz called this storm worse than the storm last month that buried parts of the area in many feet of snow because the affected area, this time, is more expansive.
The blizzard conditions also make it impossible to see.
"You can't see past the hood of your vehicle," he said.
With other storms, the region can often rely on help from adjacent areas or utility crews from the Midwest, Neaverth said. But since other places are dealing with many of the same issues, the help for our area isn't coming "from the usual places," and may mean things will take longer to return to normal.
"This is going to take a little while," he said.
Poloncarz said he expected many to remember today's weather as "some of the worst conditions we will have seen in our lifetime."
"It was horrible during the day," he said. "It's going to be worse at night."
Reach Aaron at abesecker[at]buffnews.com or 716-849-4602.
