In Buffalo, Finger-Pointing and Growing Complaints Over Storm Response - The New York Times

BUFFALO — As the decease toll from a almighty blizzard successful occidental New York rose to adjacent 40 connected Wednesday, the Erie County executive, who has himself faced expanding criticism, lashed retired astatine the politician of Buffalo implicit his efforts to wide the city’s streets.

“The city, unfortunately, is ever the past 1 to open,” Mark Poloncarz, the region executive, said astatine a property briefing. “It’s embarrassing, to archer you the truth.”

“I don’t privation to spot this anymore — I’m sick of it — I’m a metropolis nonmigratory myself,” Mr. Poloncarz said. “I cognize the mayor’s not thrilled to perceive it, but I don’t attraction anymore. I privation it done.”

Mayor Byron Brown, successful a abstracted quality conference, suggested that Mr. Poloncarz was struggling from the accent of the crisis. “People person been moving astir the timepiece since the opening of this storm,” helium said. “You know, immoderate radical grip that unit a batch differently. Some support working. Some support trying to assistance the residents of our community, and immoderate interruption down and lash out.”

Asked by a newsman if helium believed helium should resign implicit the public’s vexation and the nonaccomplishment of beingness from the storm, Mr. Brown defended his actions implicit the past week.

“I don’t deliberation I should resign,” helium said. “Again, these were historical blizzard conditions.”

The nationalist finger-pointing was a melodramatic improvement successful a portion wherever residents person been progressively frustrated with the gait of tempest response. The blizzard — which officials person characterized arsenic 1 of the worst successful caller representation — arrived connected Dec. 23. The snowfall lasted astir 36 hours and was accompanied by blinding winds. Six days later, residents were inactive attempting to excavation out. Many had been trapped successful their homes without heat, arsenic inferior crews struggled to hole substations encased successful ice.

Late Wednesday, with galore roads yet cleared, officials announced that they would assistance a question prohibition successful Buffalo connected Thursday, starting astatine 12:01 a.m. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that each large authorities highways successful occidental New York and respective captious section roads would reopen astatine the aforesaid time.

Mr. Poloncarz has besides travel nether withering disapproval from residents who judge helium should person banned motorists from region roads sooner than helium did. Hundreds of drivers became stranded connected highways and smaller streets, opening Dec. 23, arsenic whiteout conditions and dense snowfall trapped them for hours. Of the 37 deaths attributed to the storm successful Erie County, 4 victims were recovered successful their cars.

“I consciousness similar there’s inactive much that could person been done,” said Felicia Williamson, who has tally a time attraction called My Precious Angels successful Buffalo for much than 20 years and has been portion of a grass-roots rescue and betterment effort. “If you were going to make a driving ban, you could person created a driving prohibition connected Thursday to marque radical enactment home.”

Mr. Poloncarz acknowledged the contention on Twitter Wednesday. “As I said earlier contiguous successful effect to whether the driving prohibition should person been instituted earlier, I bash not cognize if it would person changed thing but it was my determination and I carnivore afloat responsibility,” helium wrote. “As JFK said, ‘victory has a 100 fathers, but decision is an orphan.’ ”

Of those who died successful the storm, much than a twelve were recovered outside. Other deaths were attributed to delays by exigency personnel. Some radical froze successful their homes. Some died successful their cars. Several suffered cardiac apprehension portion trying to shovel oregon usage snowblowers. Officials person said they expect the decease toll to emergence arsenic much victims are recovered and identified.

On Wednesday hundreds of National Guard troops fanned retired crossed the area. Officials said that their ngo had mostly shifted from rescue operations to checks of homes that mislaid powerfulness and to the tremendous task of removing snowfall from streets.

As the somesthesia rose, four-person crews successful astir 25 Humvee vehicles checked connected immoderate of the hundreds of homes that inactive remained without power, officials said. Soldiers equipped with shovels helped easiness entree for inferior companies fixing downed lines.

“Any spot that is retired of power, we’re sending radical to cheque connected them,” said Eric Durr, manager of nationalist affairs astatine the New York State Division of Military and Naval Affairs.

About 14 greenish and tan Humvees, arsenic good arsenic larger proviso and information trucks, were lined up conscionable northbound of downtown Buffalo extracurricular the Connecticut Street Armory. Downtown streets were mostly cleared, with monolithic piles of snowfall pushed to the broadside of roadways.

Legions of beforehand loaders, successful immoderate cases trailed by authorities constabulary vehicles, made important advancement overnight Tuesday into Wednesday successful residential areas.

Just earlier midnight Tuesday, respective residents stood retired beforehand of their homes cheering and waving, shovels successful hand, arsenic a lone loader rolled down a broadside thoroughfare pushing and scooping mounds of snowfall disconnected to the broadside of the road, opening up a azygous lane to excavation retired their vehicles that had been trapped successful a catacomb of snowfall for astir 5 days.