Erie County is set to receive more than $3 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to reimburse the county for costs from 2022’s powerful winter storm, Congressman Nick Langworthy announced Wednesday.
A total of $3,260,556.21 in FEMA funds will cover 75% of eligible costs incurred during the storm, which took place Dec. 22-31, 2022, dumping feet of snow across the city and region and led to the deaths of nearly 60. More than 600 people were rescued during the blizzard and more than 104,000 residents lost power.
“[The storm] delivered a devastating blow to Western New York – one that will go down in the history books for its speed and severe impact,” said Langworthy. “It occurred just days before my swearing-in and one of my first official acts was to make sure that FEMA stepped in to do right by our communities. This $3.2 million in federal funding will cover 75% of the county’s emergency response costs, providing much needed relief to local property taxpayers. We sadly cannot get back the lives we lost in that storm, but I will always fight to make sure Western New York receives the federal resources it needs to recover and prepare for future emergencies.”
In total, Erie County spent approximately $4.3 million during and after that storm, on county employees overtime, emergency materials and snow removing equipment that needed to be rented.