Governor Tom Wolf today announced that the commonwealth is sending snow removal equipment and personnel to Buffalo, NY to support local emergency personnel in clearing snow after a deadly storm dumped more than four feet of snow in the region.

“The astounding pictures and video out of Buffalo remind us that the weather can completely interrupt our plans, sadly with deadly consequences,” said Gov. Wolf. “Pennsylvanians know how debilitating winter storms can be, and we’re happy that we can support our neighbors to the north when they need our help.”

Gov. Wolf said that the PA Department of Transportation is sending nine dump trucks and associated operators and support personnel to help New York staff with clearing snow from roadways in and around the Buffalo area. PennDOT crews are expected to arrive at their assigned staging area on Thursday, Dec. 29 to begin 24-hour operations.

The request for assistance was made via the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a formal agreement that allows all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands to share resources, such as personnel or equipment, during disasters. All costs associated with an EMAC deployment are paid by the requesting state.