Buffalo prepares

[grumpy grizzly]

With the mother of all snowstorms scheduled to bury Buffalo and the surrounding area what preparation is Buffalo FD undertaking? Extra manning on companies or using civilian snowmobiles for medical runs?

 

[entropychaser]

It will be different than the '77 blizzard, I assume BFD knows what to expect.

On Friday January 28, 1977 The blizzard hit downtown at 11:38 AM and visibility instantly went to zero and stayed there for 13 hours. The storm ended on the afternoon of Tuesday February 1. Winds were 46 mph with gusts to 69 mph, wind chills down to -70 degrees. Snow drifts were as high as 30 feet. 2000 cars and 13,000 people were trapped downtown. 9 people were found later in cars. The final toll was 29 fatalities.

Interestingly, west of Buffalo, the storm was over in three hours. Lake Erie froze over on December 14th, so that 45 days of snow had accumulated on the ice, all of which was dumped over the city. Actual snowfall was only 12.2 inches.

 

[Capttomo]

Stay safe

 

[FFM1938]

The band came through the city last night and is now sitting up over the northern burbs. Driving bans are in place for the pitifully small number of city DPW plows to clear off the main arteries before heading to the secondaries. The Southern half of the city got buried and they are back to trucking out snow to outlying areas to help open up roads.

Emergency responders are using all the tricks in the book on this one; snowmobiles, atvs, off road/brush fire rigs etc.

 

[Bulldog]

Emergency responders are using all the tricks in the book on this one; snowmobiles, atvs, off road/brush fire rigs etc.

I was a member of a VFD outside of Rochester New York many times in the winter when we had a big storm we had a Snowmobile in front of the 1st due engine company! It got you there a lot faster in most cases.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Went to Wikipedia for some info, as of 2015 BFD had 19 engine companies, 9 aerials, a rescue, and a haz-mat. They have also dis-banded 19 engines and 7 aerial companies

 

[FFM1938]

Just saw that Orchard Park PD is using front end loaders with platforms on the forks to bring personnel into uncleared streets/areas. Drifts are reported to be 8ft in some spots and tonight when the band drops back down its only going to get windier

 

[68jk09]

As of 1500 hrs 11-19-22 the Buffalo snow depth (not counting drifts ) was 77 inches....hope all stay safe.

 

[nfd2004]

As of 1500 hrs 11-19-22 the Buffalo snow depth (not counting drifts ) was 77 inches....hope all stay safe.

I will keep all those "First Responders" in my prayers.
As well as the doctors, nurses, and all of the hospital staff who need to care for the sick and injured.

I worry about people who are in need of regularly scheduled medical treatments, such as cancer treatments and how will they get to the hospitals.

Or even those needing medications from their local pharmacies, or required dental work as they suffer in toothache pain.

I will worry about those 911 dispatchers and utility workers who will be needed as well.

Sometimes we worry about the slightest things in life.
We often take for granted the things that really matter.
Until, maybe in a case like this, a major snowstorm cuts off a major city like Buffalo and a large surrounding area.

I too hope that everybody is safe out there.

 

[FFM1938]

Included in that discussion is mention of the Buffalo Blizzard, one year earlier in 1977.

From what I gather that wasnt even a true blizzard, just a huge accumulation of snow on the frozen surface of Lake Erie that was picked up and deposited over the city by some pretty hellacious winds. Sorta like an enormous sandstorm.

Went to Wikipedia for some info, as of 2015 BFD had 19 engine companies, 9 aerials, a rescue, and a haz-mat. They have also dis-banded 19 engines and 7 aerial companies

For the geographical size of the city proper BFD would appear to be too small for its assigned coverage area. And in many ways it is due to how many working fires they have, but you also have to consider how many people, industrial and commercial interests left the city in the 60s-80s. Cuts were inevitable and as a result the companies are always busy.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

I will keep all those "First Responders" in my prayers.
As well as the doctors, nurses, and all of the hospital staff who need to care for the sick and injured.

I worry about people who are in need of regularly scheduled medical treatments, such as cancer treatments and how will they get to the hospitals.

Or even those needing medications from their local pharmacies, or required dental work as they suffer in toothache pain.

I will worry about those 911 dispatchers and utility workers who will be needed as well.

Sometimes we worry about the slightest things in life.
We often take for granted the things that really matter.
Until, maybe in a case like this, a major snowstorm cuts off a major city like Buffalo and a large surrounding area.

I too hope that everybody is safe out there.

I listened for awhile on Broadcastify, attempts were made to get people to dialysis for example. Several times I heard engine companies given those runs.

 

[grumpy grizzly]

From what I gather that wasnt even a true blizzard, just a huge accumulation of snow on the frozen surface of Lake Erie that was picked up and deposited over the city by some pretty hellacious winds. Sorta like an enormous sandstorm.

For the geographical size of the city proper BFD would appear to be too small for its assigned coverage area. And in many ways it is due to how many working fires they have, but you also have to consider how many people, industrial and commercial interests left the city in the 60s-80s. Cuts were inevitable and as a result the companies are always busy.

2020 census shows they were second largest in NY, 76th in the US. 278,000 people.

 

[raybrag]

Lake effect snow is the norm in the Buffalo area. But it's not a result of snow on the surface of Lake Erie; rather it's the prevailing westerly winds having a really long fetch over the lake, and picking up enormous amounts of water vapor from it. Then when the wind reaches the shore, it is lifted, reducing the capacity of the air to hold that water vapor . . . so it dumps it as snow. From an ex-USAF meteorologist.

 

[mack]

 

[grumpy grizzly]

Lake effect snow is the norm in the Buffalo area. But it's not a result of snow on the surface of Lake Erie; rather it's the prevailing westerly winds having a really long fetch over the lake, and picking up enormous amounts of water vapor from it. Then when the wind reaches the shore, it is lifted, reducing the capacity of the air to hold that water vapor . . . so it dumps it as snow. From an ex-USAF meteorologist.

I worked in Chicago's Loop and lived in Cicero which was 9 miles from the shores of Lake Michigan. One Friday I am working and it is snowing to beat the drum, we were getting two inches an hour. Called home and told my wife I would be late getting home because of the storm. She said what storm, it is clear and sunny here. And halfway home there was no snow! Lake effect snow is that fickle.

 

[Bulldog]

I read that Monroe County New York (Rochester area) sent a task force of rescue equipment and vehicles including multiple Polaris vehicles to assist Buffalo. Rochester is about 75 miles East of Buffalo and just received a trace of snow.

 

[mack]

 

[mack]

Local 782 posts progress reports and pictures of operations in the heavy snow

Buffalo Professional Firefighters Local 282

Buffalo Professional Firefighters Local 282, Buffalo, New York. 9,317 likes · 681 talking about this · 127 were here. We represent the 700 Men and Women of the City of Buffalo Fire Department

www.facebook.com

 

[OMalley]

Went to Wikipedia for some info, as of 2015 BFD had 19 engine companies, 9 aerials, a rescue, and a haz-mat. They have also dis-banded 19 engines and 7 aerial companies

As mentioned by another poster, it’s not all that surprising they’ve disbanded so many companies. Buffalo’s population peaked at 580,000 in the 1950 census. In 2020, the population was about 280,000. That’s not to say they aren’t short handed, which I’m sure they probably are today.

 

[Bulldog]

As mentioned by another poster, it’s not all that surprising they’ve disbanded so many companies. Buffalo’s population peaked at 580,000 in the 1950 census. In 2020, the population was about 280,000. That’s not to say they aren’t short handed, which I’m sure they probably are today.

The problem is even though the population is diminished the buildings didn't magically go away. Because of this, EMS calls have probably diminished but fire calls probably have increased because of the number of vacant buildings.

I just read elsewhere this morning that the rescue assets from Rochester have been released to return home after 3 days of operation.