BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — One year after that deadly blizzard, what's changed and how is the community being put first?
It turns out, it starts with keeping the lights on.
As those wicked winds blew through Buffalo, the drifting snow piled high inside National Grid substations. The substations were shut down as a result.
Many people lost power, especially on the east side of Buffalo, leaving many in the dark for days.
"We can't afford to not be ready for the next storm that comes that could be of that magnitude," Ken Kujawa said.
Kujawa is National Grid's regional director. He says the utility is replacing the fencing, outside each substation bay, with a louver system. He says this will stop the wind from blowing snow inside those bays.
That combination of blowing and drifting snow undermined the system last year.
DRANTCH: If we were to get another blizzard, like we saw last year, are you confident that this substation would stay online and power this community?
KUJAWA: Yes, we're confident. We've been successful in the past. And we believe that the louver system should put us in the best position going forward.
Those louvers sit on the outside of the bay, like blinds on a window, with 45-degree slats. This allows for proper airflow, cutting down on exposure to the elements.
East side substations are all but done but others in the community are being worked on. They should be done in early 2024.
Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said nine shelters will be set up in an emergency, around the city, to make sure people without power or heat can find safety.
"Generators will be obtained for the shelters to ensure reliable heat and electricity," Brown said. "In the last winter, there were a number of residents that ventured out and found themselves trapped outside."
Nearly 50 people died in last year's blizzard.
In some cases, folks were looking to get essentials to survive, having been unable to stock up before the storm.
Drantch asked Mayor Brown, what's being done to protect the most vulnerable. It's an exchange that was first posted on Instagram.
DRANTCH: I wonder, because the east side saw so much loss of life, so many of those people weren't able to go and get groceries to stock up, what is the city doing to prepare those folks who are in lower income, minority neighborhoods that saw the most loss of life, the most impact?
BROWN: Well again, it's pre-preparation. There will be places they can go and be transported to, to be safe.
DRANTCH: How would they be transported?
BROWN: There's a variety of different ways that can happen.
DRANTCH: Such as?
BROWN: There's a variety of different ways. I'm not going to do a whole back and forth with you.
DRANTCH: I'm just trying to keep our residents safe, Mr. Mayor.
BROWN: I'm trying to keep our residents safe too, Ed.
With little detail from the mayor, a spokesperson from FeedMore Western New York stepped up to the mic, explaining blizzard boxes are sent to those who get daily meal deliveries. They are to be used only in an emergency, where meals can't be delivered, like a blizzard.
Others are stored at sites around Buffalo and Erie County, for administrators to access and give out to those in need.
That's new this winter and a direct result of that deadly blizzard.
Barbara Leenhouts is one of those people, who benefits from daily delivery from FeedMore. She says this blizzard box was a lifeline, last year.
"That was very important to me... I probably would have been stuck," Leenhouts said.
The organization is now touching base with all of their clients, making sure their blizzard box is ready to go.
Almost 3,000 are being stocked for those Buffalo and Erie County needs.
FeedMore says there is an incredible amount of need in this community. They're expecting these blizzard boxes to be really helpful for those who can't stock up.
If you need help, you can call FeedMore Western New York at (716) 822-2002.
