Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The third-party report requested by New York State on the response to the Western New York Christmas Weekend blizzard has been released.
The 49-page report calls for overall improvements in communication and coordination with future winter storms.
Full details of the report can be read here:
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The report acknowledges the Blizzard of 2022 was truly “the perfect storm.”
"DHSES [Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services] led an emergency response on behalf of the State designed to mitigate the worst of a storm characterized by a devastating combination of gale force winds, heavy snow, and freezing temperatures. This effort required significant cross-agency coordination and constant engagement with different levels of government for several days," the report read.
The report also believes New York State will likely see a storm of this magnitude again, given the ongoing reality of climate change. With temperatures staying warmer for longer periods of time, it will make it more difficult for Lake Erie to freeze, only intensifying any possible lake effect snow phenomenon.
"Going forward, New York will need to maintain a constant state of readiness, centered on the philosophy of continuous improvement," the report detailed. "DHSES and its partners should continue to enhance the State’s emergency response infrastructure by improving planning activities, modeling response exercises, and designing community-focused recovery initiatives."
In addition, the report says communication and coordination efforts can all be improved through continued engagement with key stakeholders like other agencies, localities, NGOs, the private sector, or everyday citizens.
"By building on what worked well, and continuing conversations with those affected by this severe weather, the State will design a forward-looking and leading approach to emergency management," the report read.
New York State's blizzard report comes more than two months after a third-party report was released by NYU at the request of the City of Buffalo. A research team of nine individuals and additional advisors in that report focused on and investigated four primary areas of impact in the storm: Roads, Utilities, Communications and Equity.
A statement from the City of Buffalo regarding New York State's blizzard report says:
"The Mayor is aware the State's After Action Report for the response to the December Blizzard is completed. City staff participated in the process as requested, and we are currently reviewing the document. As previously announced, the City has established a Storm Response Task Force and has already purchased new equipment and adopted new storm-fighting procedures."
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