Hancock Field Air National Guard Base Airman Aid in Buffalo Snow Response

Related Media

One of the 174th Attack Wing's two Oshkosh blower vehicles which are clearing roads in the Buffalo area.

HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SYRACUSE (11/21/2014)(readMedia)-- Thirty-two Airmen from the 174th Attack Wing are on duty in the Buffalo area as part of the New York National Guard's response to the heavy snows hitting Erie County.

The Airmen from Hancock Field Air National Guard Base are part of a 500- Soldier and Airman task force ordered into State Active Duty by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. The task force has been operating since Tuesday. Nov. 18. The team from the 174th Attack Wing joined the task force on Wednesday.

Sixteen more Airmen are on standby to deploy if needed.

The team from the 174th Attack Wing deployed two giant Oshkosh snowblowers which are normally used to clear runways. The two giant snowblowers have been working around the clock with the Department of Transportation to clear roads in the area.

The two Oshkosh H-Series blower vehicles can throw as much as 5,000 tons of snow an hour and as far as 200 feet.

A dump truck, two bucket loaders, trucks and Bobcat machines are also part of the 174th Attack Wing commitment.

Other Airmen are clearing debris, helping to remove snow from blocked roadways and providing transportation to essential medical personnel.

"A lot of very important life saving activities are being accomplished by our unit members," said Senior Master Sgt. Kevin Scanlin, Emergency Operations Center non-commissioned officer-in-charge "Some of our folks are picking up doctors and nurses and delivering them to the area hospitals while others are assisting local residents who can't get out of their homes to get their medicines."