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What does Buffalo need for the next storm? Councilman Scanlon proposes resolution to address those questions

Does Buffalo DPW, Fire and Police need more tracked vehicles? Does Buffalo need more warming shelters? A council member aims to address those needs in January.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Several resolutions authored by Buffalo Common Council member Chris Scanlon aims to address what he feels are asset issues within multiple city departments. 

"It's incumbent upon us as elected officials to kind of take a look at what happened, examine what's going on, see how we can always be improving, and make sure we're able to respond," Scanlon said. 

On Friday, Scanlon released several council resolutions that will be addressed at the Jan. 10 Common Council meeting. 

One resolution would allow the money allocated by the city in the American Rescue Plan to be amended so the city could purchase equipment for the Department of Public Works, and the fire and police departments. 

Another resolution proposed by Scanlon would require those three departments to provide an itemized inventory of equipment to the council by Jan. 24. 

Scanlon is also bringing forth a resolution to amend the city's snow plan to include larger snow storms and even blizzards. Two types of snow events that are not covered in the current plan. 

"They provide the most vital services, and we have to make sure that we are investing in them at an appropriate level," Scanlon said. 

At a news conference highlighting the New Year's Eve ball drop in downtown Buffalo, Mayor Byron Brown highlighted the struggles Buffalo Fire had during the storm to answer calls. 

"Not only were fire vehicles getting stuck, plows are getting stuck. National Guard vehicles were getting stuck," Mayor Brown said. "There were periods of zero visibility, when if you could move anyway, you couldn't see in front of you and you had to pull over."

Brown was not being critical of the fire depart, but simply addressed the challenges of the storm. 

A source for the Buffalo Fire union told 2 On Your Side that fire crews were frustrated that apparatus couldn't make it through unplowed streets to respond to calls. 

According to the city, BFD responded to 11 different fires between Dec. 23 and Dec. 28. Two of those 11 fires were bumped up to a second alarm, and all 11 required additional equipment. In total, those 11 fires caused $1.85 million in damage and displaced 31 people. 

The city says that several front loaders were paired with different Buffalo Fire companies to carve a path while responding to calls. 

"[I] certainly understand the frustrations that everyone felt during a storm of this historic magnitude" Mayor Brown said. 

Scanlon says that members of the public works department will be present at a community development committee meeting on Jan. 2 to address the storm response. 

After the November 2022 storm, one month ago, Scanlon and other council members pressed Buffalo DPW Commissioner Nate Marton to come to the council for a full debrief of the storm. 

Scanlon says Marton did attend a committee meeting to address the council's concerns. 

Also after the November storm, the city changed the capitol budget to allocate funds for a tracked emergency vehicle that could be used for EMS response by Buffalo Fire or Police. If the budget passes, that vehicle will be acquired. 

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