BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — 7 News spoke with members of the New York Guard who reflected on their experience during the Blizzard of 2022.
SPC Israa Bateman was one of many who came to Buffalo to help with the storm response.
“We arrived there at midnight. It was snow everywhere,” Bateman says. “It was icy."
Bateman tells 7 News reporter Yoselin Person her mission was to provide whatever the soldiers needed.
“Track the soldiers. If they need any transportation or anything,” she says. “You try your best to make a smile on somebody when helping and be kind. All the soldiers did a great job. National Guard, New York State Guard. We all worked together.”
She says she and her team spent 10 days in Buffalo.
"When you're working you don't think about food anymore,” she says. “You just thinking what you need to do, what's best to help other people."
Bateman says the deadly blizzard wasn't the first disaster mission she had to respond to.
Her first mission was during COVID-19. A year after she joined the guard in 2019.
"You join to help people. The reason we join no matter what the reason,” the defense guard says. “I always say whether it's good or bad, we have to go on the mission."
Bateman also shares the importance of joining the force, and she hopes many seeing her story can do the same.
"We need more people to help. I know that I'm serving my state, but it's my country, so in this country we need more good people to help us,” she says. “To help when we have a problem like when we had the disasters."
Click here if you’re interested in joining the New York Guard State Defense Force.
