Snow Removal Efforts Continue in Oswego County

OSWEGO COUNTY – The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) has been helping fire departments in the Scriba Water District, the town of Hastings and village of Central Square this week in clearing snow from fire hydrants.

“This assistance has been invaluable for our local departments,” said Oswego County Fire Coordinator Shane Laws. “We urge people who live near a hydrant to help their local departments by clearing a path around it. This could save your own home during a fire.”

Search and rescue team members also continued helping county residents clear snow today, enabling emergency access to their homes.

“We’re continuing to work through the list of residents who called for assistance during the last week,” said Cathleen Palmitesso, director of the Oswego County Emergency Management Office. “We stopped accepting new requests through two call centers on Wednesday after the number of residents seeking assistance had decreased, allowing us to focus on those who had already requested help.”

The Oswego County Pioneer Search and Rescue Team (OCSAR) secured help through the New York State Federation of Search and Rescue Teams (NYSFEDSAR). Members of eight teams traveled throughout the county to remove snow from wheelchair ramps and walkways and ensure heating vents were properly cleared.

Palmitesso reminded people to contact a professional for roof snow removal, as the added weight of snow from the recent rain causes an increased potential for collapses. People should also be cautious of heavy melting snow falling from roofs. Anyone at risk of a collapse or experiencing one should immediately call 911. Those displaced due to a collapse may be able to receive temporary assistance from the American Red Cross.

People who still need snow removal services can find a list on the Oswego County website at https://www.oswegocounty.com/departments/public_information/snow_resources.php. Residents are responsible for paying for these services.

After yesterday’s rain, flooding issues in the county today were minor, but weather hazards are ongoing. The National Weather Service Buffalo Office issued a high wind advisory for Oswego County from 11 a.m. today, March 6, through 4 a.m. Friday, March 7.

“West winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph are forecast,” Palmitesso said. “We urge people to prepare for potential power outages and follow National Grid safety precautions when an outage occurs. Remember to treat all downed power lines as live, stay away from them and call 911. Report outages to National Grid through their website or call 1-800-867-5222.”

People should also update their family disaster supplies kits and charge their cell phones.

“A well-prepared disaster supplies kit is essential for enduring a prolonged power outage,” Palmitesso said.

Key items in a disaster supplies kit should include:

• flashlights and extra batteries
• AM/FM Radio and NOAA Weather Radio (battery-operated or crank-powered)
• ready-to-eat foods and manual can opener
• water (at least one gallon per person for several days)
• charged cell phones and battery packs.

For more information on disaster planning, visit www.ready.gov.

Residents who have had uninsured losses from February’s lake effect snowstorm can report damage information to New York State through an online survey. The state is collecting this information to determine if a Small Business Administration disaster declaration is warranted.

People can click this link to complete the survey. This is NOT a form for federal relief programs. The SBA will issue an announcement if low-interest loans will be made available.

Reporting is voluntary and not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance agency, nor does it guarantee disaster relief assistance. One survey should be submitted for each housing unit or business. People should attach photos of the damage as they complete the survey.

Print this entry