US blizzard in Buffalo and NY state: President Biden declares State of Emergency
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The St Stephen’s Day move by the President came as it emerged dozens of people have died in the city of Buffalo and across other parts of the US and Canada, with over a million left without power as temperatures plummeted below a staggering – 40 degrees Celsius over the Christmas period.
There is a huge Irish diaspora population living in the region. The President’s action on December 26 authorises the US Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to coordinate all disaster relief efforts which have the purpose of alleviating the hardship and suffering caused by the emergency on the local population.
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Hide AdIt also triggers the provision of appropriate assistance for required emergency measures, authorized under Title V of the Stafford Act, to save lives and to protect property and public health and safety, and to lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe in the counties of Erie and Genesee.
President Biden also called Governor Kathy Hochul to offer the ‘full force of the Federal government’ in support of the people of New York ‘as the state grapples with the impacts of a historic winter storm’, the US government confirmed in a statement.
“The President shared that his and the First Lady’s prayers are with the people of New York and all those who lost loved ones.
"He expressed his gratitude to the Governor for her leadership and to the National Guard, law enforcement, and first responders for their tireless work. The President relayed that he has directed his team to respond immediately to any request the Governor makes for Federal assistance.”
In the days leading up to Christmas, Buffalo’s Mayor Byron W. Brown announced a driving ban as increasingly high winds and snow impacted the region.
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Hide AdSpeaking on December 23, Mayor Brown stated: “This is a very serious situation. We’re already feeling an impact from the blizzard, which is here. The safety of our residents and workforce is our top priority. We knew this would be a significant wind and snow event and are asking people to stay off the roads. At this time, only Emergency Personnel and those previously authorised for emergency travel can drive.”