BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — An unprecedented amount of calls and no way to get there.
"It wasn’t a good feeling being stuck in a house and knowing how bad the situation was."
It was until Christmas morning that members of the Buffalo Police Department SWAT, Homicide and Underwater Rescue Teams could even get into work. 48 hours after the blizzard began.
The three teams were tasked with recovering people who died.
"As hard as the medical examiner's office, which this is usually their function, tried to make it into the blizzard, they just couldn’t because of the weather and the circumstances, so all of us were tasked with recovering the bodies."
"You knew this storm was going to be bad and have a number of fatalities. I don’t know if I thought it was going to be that many."
The officers used their own vehicles and were also assisted by civilians from across Western New York and Pennsylvania who came in with snowmobiles. Forming a unified front to help the Buffalo Police Department respond in ways it never had before and using equipment in ways they could not have imagined.
"There was a street that had four feet of snow. We couldn’t get down there. We had to blow up a raft and unfortunately take someone out, by raft, like a half of a block."
As the teams thought the evening was coming to a close, a call came in from a hotel for a 3-year-old that was reportedly drowning.
"Everyone was 110%. You kind of just throw out your training and focus on taking care of that kid as fast as you can, and that’s what happened."
Days later, the 3-year-old died but the teams knew that they had done everything they could.
"As sad as it was, there was a lot of love not only going through the department but with civilians."
Police received "thank yous" even from families in grief.
"Later on the day we get a text message thanking us. It’s rewarding, but it’s weird at the same time. Like why are you thanking us? Like we’re here to help you. You lost the family member, not me. So… It’s tough."
Humble heroes, making a difference even on Buffalo's darkest days.