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New York Army National Guard Humvees assemble alongside the Erie County Highway Department vehicles near Holland, New York following tornado storm damage on July 20, 2017. New York Army National Guard Engineers from Company A, 27th Brigade Special Tr...
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New York Army National Guard Sgt. Raymond Faltisco conducts initial linkup with Erie County Highway Department counterparts near Holland, New York following tornado storm damage on July 20, 2017. Faltisco, from Buffalo, New York, joined other New Yor...
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Air National Guard Engineers conduct operational checks and safety briefings prior to debris clearance operations with the Erie County Highway Department near Holland, New York following tornado storm damage on July 20, 2017. The New York Air Nationa...
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A New York Army National Guard High Mobility Engineer Excavator conducts initial linkup with the Erie County Highway Department near Holland, New York following tornado storm damage on July 20, 2017. New York Army National Guard Engineers from Compan...
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Army National Guard Spc. James Anthony, right, and Pfc. Sidney Gannon remove debris along County Route 396 in Holland, New York following tornado storm damage on July 20, 2017. The New York Army National Guard Soldiers are assigned to the Headquarter...
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HAMBURG, New York -- 100 members of the New York National Guard deployed in the immediate aftermath of severe storm and tornado damage in the Western New York Town of Hamburg July 20, 2017.
New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo deployed the response force to the Erie County Fairgrounds in the Town of Hamburg in the hours following the severe storms.
The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado touched down in Erie County in the early afternoon of July 20, with touchdowns made in the towns of Hamburg, Orchard Park, South Wales and Holland.
The New York National Guard element joins a multi-agency response assisting local governments with their recovery efforts. An initial estimate reported some 20,000 residents without power due to debris from fallen trees.
A State of Emergency has been declared in Orchard Park and Hamburg, and Erie County has issued a travel advisory for Aurora, Orchard Park, and Hamburg banning unnecessary travel.
"Severe weather is the new normal and it is critical that we remain vigilant and make the proper preparations to protect ourselves and our homes when Mother Nature strikes," Governor Cuomo said. "I am deploying 100 National Guard members and directing state agencies to assist local officials in cleanup efforts and I urge those who live in the area to stay safe and to take any necessary precautions."
The joint response force includes Army National Guard Soldiers from the 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Air National Guard members of the 107th Attack Wing and members of the New York State Defense Forces' Naval Militia and New York Guard.
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