Erie County Government - Official website of the Erie County, NY Government

Skip Navigation

Note: Although this web site is fully accessible to all browsers and internet devices, it has been designed to utilize current web standards, and therefore appears quite differently in browsers that do not support current web standards.

For more information on web standards and how to upgrade your browser please visit the Browser Upgrade Campaign at http://www.webstandards.org/upgrade/.

Return to Erie County homepage

Erie County seal

Updates on County-wide debris plans, human services, health concerns

October 19, 2006

1. Highway superintendents from all around Erie County met this morning with Erie County deputy Public Works Commissioner Gerry Sentz at which they reviewed the debris-removal plan. There is two-way communication about the status of debris-removal in towns, villages and cities. FEMA and the State Emergency Management Office will address the status of their activities. Meanwhile, the National Guard continues to be deployed mainly in the Williamsville area; the State Department of Transportation remains deployed in the eastern suburbs: Clarence, Lancaster, Newstead, Alden. County crews and contractors are focused in Tonawanda and Amherst. Town and city crews continue to work with contractors.

2. On contractors: Bids were opened starting at 10am today. Our professional buyers are culling the list for qualified contractors. We are following FEMA & SEMO guidelines. The plan is for me to begin executing contracts tonight, with full deployment over the next two days.

3. As power comes back on, the Red Cross is beginning to close its shelters. We're trying to accommodate folks leaving shelters by giving them food bags that we've arranged with the food pantries. Meals On Wheels is starting to distribute warm meals; they continue to distribute cold meals as well.

4. Also on food: people who have been receiving Food Stamps will see their cards automatically adjusted by the State of New York. The recipients should see their EBT card balances replenished by Monday. We have already asked the State to notify the food vendors – because these card balances have been adjusted. This is to cover the loss of food. If you get Food Stamps, you do not have to come to the Rath Building to fill out a form; your EBT card will be automatically adjusted.

5. We would like you to stay away from the County parks and other parks as well. There are many damaged trees with many dangling branches that present a hazard. Our Parks crews are out on the streets clearing debris along with the National Guard, County crews, contractors and local government crews. We will get to the parks – but we are focusing all our parks crews on making our streets passable.

6. The Erie County Department of Health is surveying physicians to find out which of them lost power and lost refrigeration. Flu vaccine has to be refrigerated and we will be following up on this.

7. County operations continue. The Rath Building remains open. Our Health Clinics remain open. Civil Service exams will be administered at Erie Community College as scheduled this Saturday. For updates you can check the Erie County website at www.erie.gov.