TOWN OF POUGHKEEPSIE – Governor Andrew Cuomo stopped in the Town of Poughkeepsie Wednesday afternoon, along a statewide follow-up to the devastating blizzard which rocked the region Tuesday, dumping over two feet of snow in 24 hours.
Flanked by Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, Poughkeepsie Mayor Robert Rolison, and various other officials, Cuomo praised the teamwork effort to keep roads clear and public safe during the late winter squall.
“This is when government either works, or it doesn’t work. And if it doesn’t work, literally, people can lose their lives,” the Governor explained. “And when it does work, it’s a great example of partnership and cooperation.”
Comparing his six years in office, to his father’s 12 years as New York governor, Cuomo indicated that his own tenure has, to date, experienced twice the amount of weather-related federal states of emergencies.
“The frequency of extreme weather is way up,” Cuomo said. “These are unusual and extreme circumstances, I don’t think the frequency is going to decrease, it’s going to increase, which means our ability to deal with these situations is going to have to get more sophisticated.”
One hundred National Guard troops and equipment details are being re-deployed to hard-hit areas including Poughkeepsie and Beacon. Other resources will similarly be sent along the Southern Tier towards Binghamton, Cuomo said.
The State of Emergency has been lifted for New York State Thruway, as of Wednesday, which had been closed to tractor-trailers throughout the storm. Cuomo urged motorists to still use caution while driving, especially in urban areas when pedestrians have been walking in the roadway due to blocked sidewalks.
He also urged adults to be careful while shoveling snow, due to the common risk of heart failure.
