Buffalo airport closed until Monday AM...Christmas in Chicago for the Bills?

[Beck Water]

50 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

People are making it a bigger deal than it needs to be. 

 

42 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

A month ago the community dug out Bills players to get them to the airport during a travel ban. It was celebrated all over.

 

Today people are trying to make it a big negative story even though the Bills had no impact on anything going on. This is our world in a nutshell.

 

Yep. 

 

Bills players were traveling on 11/19, getting to the facility during the morning and early afternoon.  Travel ban was in effect from 6:30 am on, squarely involving the areas where they were traveling (Orchard Park, W. Seneca, Cheektawoga etc

 

https://www.wbfo.org/local/2022-11-19/saturday-brings-more-snow-leaving-some-areas-buried-under-6-feet-new-travel-bans-announced

 

County said at the time that the only resources involved were providing advice about which routes were plowed  - although there was a police escort of the team buses on the clips I saw. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Beck Water

[boyst]

10 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

People are creating outrage, as normal. 
 

A month ago:
 

 

Yes. People being ignored by the gov they are to trust for assistance and protection? People who never got home from work, had power, etc were ignored. 

 

How dare those folks have outrage! And I think we all need to be happy a group of sportsballmen got assistance because they wore souvenir Buffalo massacre tshirts and helped raise money!

 

Those two issues don't have to be linked. Take away the Bills.

 

The government ignored the travel ban for a group of people to travel while condemning others to die.  It's as simple as that and this is why you cannot trust the government to care.

 

Edit: also, the town of OP did not cease other operations to help the Bills. They didn't stop going on calls or do anything that strained their obligations or services to their community. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by boyst

[Buffalo_Stampede]

2 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yes. People being ignored by the gov they are to trust for assistance and protection? People who never got home from work, had power, etc were ignored. 

 

How dare those folks have outrage! And I think we all need to be happy a group of sportsballmen got assistance because they wore souvenir Buffalo massacre tshirts and helped raise money!

 

Those two issues don't have to be linked. Take away the Bills.

 

The government ignored the travel ban for a group of people to travel while condemning others to die.  It's as simple as that and this is why you cannot trust the government to care.

 

Edit: also, the town of OP did not cease other operations to help the Bills. They didn't stop going on calls or do anything that strained their obligations or services to their community. 

Maybe I’m missing something. You’re saying that the Governor and local government officials directed first responders to stop helping people in need and go help the Bills?

[boyst]

10 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Maybe I’m missing something. You’re saying that the Governor and local government officials directed first responders to stop helping people in need and go help the Bills?

Yes. The 911 operations and such said they will not be servicing calls during the blizzard. Ambulance, police, fire will not be in operation.

 

They did not explicitly say don't help people and go help the Bills. They said don't answer calls. And then went to help the Bills. Even if, and I'd need to check my timing, Erie county and Buffalo reopened - it is incredibly poor to have used government to help sportsballmen - even our beloved Bills.

 

Terry, Kim, etc could have flown a rented a snow machine, helicopter from Cuse, whatever. They have the money. 

[Solomon Grundy]

22 minutes ago, boyst said:

The government ignored the travel ban for a group of people to travel while condemning others to die.  It's as simple as that and this is why you cannot trust the government to care.

Didn't the people stuck ignore the travel ban/warnings of the storm? Reports prior were that it was projected to be worse than 77. 

[boyst]

1 minute ago, Solomon Grundy said:

Didn't the people stuck ignore the travel ban/warnings of the storm? Reports prior were that it was projected to be worse than 77. 

Yeah, so?

 

Should they die? Should they be ignored?

[Solomon Grundy]

6 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yeah, so?

Rules, warnings and laws be damned?? 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Solomon Grundy

[Seventeen]

17 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yes. The 911 operations and such said they will not be servicing calls during the blizzard. Ambulance, police, fire will not be in operation.

 

They did not explicitly say don't help people and go help the Bills. They said don't answer calls. And then went to help the Bills. Even if, and I'd need to check my timing, Erie county and Buffalo reopened - it is incredibly poor to have used government to help sportsballmen - even our beloved Bills.

 

Terry, Kim, etc could have flown a rented a snow machine, helicopter from Cuse, whatever. They have the money. 

 

Wut ? For whom ? The entire team/staff plus the media that traveled with the Bills ? 

[Doc Brown]

2 hours ago, HappyDays said:

So the Bills players should have to suffer because other members of the community suffered? I've been trapped in my house and separated from half of my family since Friday. Should I also shut off my power and heat in solidarity with those unlucky households in Buffalo that have been without it?

If you want to.  They aren't essential workers and they violated the driving ban that everyone else had to follow.  It's as simple as that.

[Seventeen]

3 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

If you want to.  They aren't essential workers and they violated the driving ban that everyone else had to follow.  It's as simple as that.

 

Guaranteed everyone else did not follow the ban nor was it enforced everywhere. Give the entire team/staff/media a ticket and move on.

[Airseven]

🤣

[Doc Brown]

Just now, Roy Hobbs said:

 

Guaranteed everyone else did not follow the ban nor was it enforced everywhere. Give the entire team/staff/media a ticket and move on.

Sounds good.  I said my piece.  

[boyst]

17 minutes ago, Roy Hobbs said:

 

Wut ? For whom ? The entire team/staff plus the media that traveled with the Bills ? 

For all of them, sure. Instead of defying the law and principle of it, yes. 

 

@Roy Hobbs why are the bills above the law? 

Edited December 27, 2022 by boyst

[Beck Water]

43 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yes. The 911 operations and such said they will not be servicing calls during the blizzard. Ambulance, police, fire will not be in operation.

 

They did not explicitly say don't help people and go help the Bills. They said don't answer calls. And then went to help the Bills. Even if, and I'd need to check my timing, Erie county and Buffalo reopened - it is incredibly poor to have used government to help sportsballmen - even our beloved Bills.

 

Terry, Kim, etc could have flown a rented a snow machine, helicopter from Cuse, whatever. They have the money. 

 

You're way off.

 

This is totally not what happened.

 

911 wasn't able to serve calls during the actual blizzard - FRIDAY night, SATURDAY morning.  WIth zero visibility, rapidly falling and drifting snow, gale-force winds - ambulances and firefighters and police vehicles were getting stuck.  At one point, it was reported that 2/3 of the emergency vehicles in the worst affected areas were stuck.  They weren't "ignoring" people.

 

By Saturday noon, limited services were restored.  By Sunday, they were digging out and able to get to people. 

 

I don't know, and I'm pretty damned sure you don't know, exactly what emergency services or "government help" was provided to the Bills.  There may have been a state trooper or a EC sheriff or someone escorting the buses.  But that probably was the extent of it.  If you have actual sources and info, feel free....

 

<this space for rent>

 

But there's also the timeline of events.  It matters.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Beck Water

[Seventeen]

9 minutes ago, boyst said:

For all of them, sure. Instead of defying the law and principle of it, yes. 

 

@Roy Hobbs why are the bills above the law? 

 

They're not - ticket them and move on FFS.

[Beck Water]

21 minutes ago, Doc Brown said:

If you want to.  They aren't essential workers and they violated the driving ban that everyone else had to follow.  It's as simple as that.

 

There was an entire Facebook group about the storm where citizens were asking for help getting rescued from their cars or getting home to their kids and people with snowmobiles or FWD trucks or whatever were violating the travel ban and coming to help them.   These weren't essential workers.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Beck Water

[boyst]

2 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

You're way off.

 

This is totally not what happened.

 

911 wasn't able to serve calls during the actual blizzard - FRIDAY night, SATURDAY morning.  WIth zero visibility, rapidly falling and drifting snow, gale-force winds - ambulances and firefighters and police vehicles were getting stuck.  At one point, it was reported that 2/3 of the emergency vehicles in the worst affected areas were stuck.

 

By Saturday noon, limited services were restored.  By Sunday, they were digging out and able to get to people. 

 

I don't know, and I'm pretty damned sure you don't know, exactly what emergency services or "government help" was provided to the Bills.  There may have been a state trooper or a EC sheriff or someone escorting the buses.  But that probably was the extent of it.  If you have actual sources and info, feel free....

 

<this space for rent>

 

But there's also the timeline of events.  It matters.

I do not have exact specifics. Those aren't the points I'm sticking on to be disappointed with the government on. The government had travels bans in place and allowed this to happen. I don't have proof that they allowed this to happen but anyone with half a lick of sense would not only realize the government knew about this but likely provided security is telling.

[Big Turk]

44 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yes. The 911 operations and such said they will not be servicing calls during the blizzard. Ambulance, police, fire will not be in operation.

 

They did not explicitly say don't help people and go help the Bills. They said don't answer calls. And then went to help the Bills. Even if, and I'd need to check my timing, Erie county and Buffalo reopened - it is incredibly poor to have used government to help sportsballmen - even our beloved Bills.

 

Terry, Kim, etc could have flown a rented a snow machine, helicopter from Cuse, whatever. They have the money. 

 

The Bills left Thursday night. They returned Sunday.

 

There was no blizzard either before or after they returned. Can we at least get the facts straight if we need to find something to be outraged about?

[HappyDays]

48 minutes ago, boyst said:

Yes. The 911 operations and such said they will not be servicing calls during the blizzard. Ambulance, police, fire will not be in operation.

 

This isn't really true. Emergency services did rescue a number of people that were stranded. They did deliver life saving medicine and food to some households. They just couldn't possibly help everyone and they had to set realistic expectations with the community.

 

The travel ban was put in place because if it wasn't there would have been mass chaos. As it is even with the travel ban enough idiots decided to go out on their own, got their cars stuck and clogged up the roads for emergency services and plows. Imagine if no ban had been placed to begin with. And yeah the Bills players got special treatment because they are special people. I don't care about optics. That's the reality of it. Exactly zero people didn't get help they needed because the Bills got an escort home. I for one choose to be happy that these players are home with their families after everything they do for the community and local economy. Others choose to be upset because that's the social media world we live in.

 

All over social media I see people criticizing the local government's response to the blizzard. The truth that no one wants to accept is that there is no perfect response to something like this, even if they had unlimited resources which they don't. It was the same after Hurricane Katrina. I'm sure in both cases mistakes were made but you're talking about a generational weather event. Everyone thinks they could do so much better. Buffalo Niagara is a metro population of 1.1 million people. That is an incomprehensible number of people to manage. Personally I think everyone is doing the best they can.

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by HappyDays

[PromoTheRobot]

4 hours ago, Since1981 said:

27 dead is a major disaster. You would have no idea it happened outside Buffalo. In Rochester? Barely mentioned. Nationally? Even less. 

It's been on every national news program and channel.

[Beck Water]

9 minutes ago, boyst said:

I do not have exact specifics. Those aren't the points I'm sticking on to be disappointed with the government on. The government had travels bans in place and allowed this to happen. I don't have proof that they allowed this to happen but anyone with half a lick of sense would not only realize the government knew about this but likely provided security is telling.

 

I think it's a pretty good bet that Erie County knew the Bills were planning to drive chartered buses across the County line to the stadium.  We can agree on this.

 

Whether they provided a police escort, I don't know. 

 

But you were writing as though the government was "ignoring" people and "condemning" them to die, but helping the Bills... as though 1) being unable to reach someone to help them because your EMS is physically unable to reach them in blizzard conditions = "ignoring them" (I call shenanigans) 2) these events took place during the same time - not the case -while EMS was announced as being unavailable due to not being able to physically get out and get there, the Bills were...wait for it...playing a football game and then overnighting in Chi Town.

 

I worked as an EMT in my time and have friends and relatives who are EMS...police officers, nurses, paramedics, firefighters...they've worked through floods, the aftermath of tornadoes.  I was in Buffalo for the Blizzard of '77 in one of the hardest-hit areas and helped shovel out a pregnant neighbor and then knock on doors to find a neighbor with a Jeep when it was clear her studded snowtires wouldn't cut it so I have a damned good idea what conditions were like there Fri thru Saturday...frankly I find the implication that EMS was "ignoring" or "condemning" people and therefore shouldn't be trusted, because they actually couldn't physically get to people and were placing themselves in danger trying, to be despicable. 

 

Just my opinion, based on knowing these people and what they do and how they put their lives on the line at times.

 

It wouldn't bother me if the Bills or the players got a ticket for violating the travel ban, but it doesn't bother me if neighbors with 4WDs are out there helping folks get where they need to go in violation of the ban, either, and I think the police have better things to do right now than cite people as long as they don't get stuck and need help.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Beck Water

[Buffalo_Stampede]

19 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

You're way off.

 

This is totally not what happened.

 

911 wasn't able to serve calls during the actual blizzard - FRIDAY night, SATURDAY morning.  WIth zero visibility, rapidly falling and drifting snow, gale-force winds - ambulances and firefighters and police vehicles were getting stuck.  At one point, it was reported that 2/3 of the emergency vehicles in the worst affected areas were stuck.  They weren't "ignoring" people.

 

By Saturday noon, limited services were restored.  By Sunday, they were digging out and able to get to people. 

 

I don't know, and I'm pretty damned sure you don't know, exactly what emergency services or "government help" was provided to the Bills.  There may have been a state trooper or a EC sheriff or someone escorting the buses.  But that probably was the extent of it.  If you have actual sources and info, feel free....

 

<this space for rent>

 

But there's also the timeline of events.  It matters.

I didn’t see any type of police escort. I haven’t seen anything to support his claims.

 

But I repeat. Orchard Park was under a State Of Emergency. The driving ban literally went into place only a couple hours before players were trying to get to the stadium. There were many abandoned cars and blocked roadways. They had 80” of snow the night before. It was considered a feel good story then. We all were watching it basically live as players were live posting the events. Police were helping even with all the abandoned vehicles on the road. 
 

The video below was happening in OP as OP police helped the Bills dig out to get to the stadium.
 

 

 

 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Buffalo_Stampede

[EasternOHBillsFan]

13 minutes ago, boyst said:

I do not have exact specifics. Those aren't the points I'm sticking on to be disappointed with the government on. The government had travels bans in place and allowed this to happen. I don't have proof that they allowed this to happen but anyone with half a lick of sense would not only realize the government knew about this but likely provided security is telling.

 

Blaming the government for something like this is ridiculous... you people always want government out of things until a disaster happens and then you blame the government when they try to help people and ignore all of the help. If you don't have exact specifics then why do you even have an opinion like this?!?! Spinning people up based on garbage is obviously what you are doing...

Edited December 27, 2022 by EasternOHBillsFan

[Beck Water]

54 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

Didn't the people stuck ignore the travel ban/warnings of the storm? Reports prior were that it was projected to be worse than 77. 

 

I could be wrong but I think the travel ban was put into place Friday am like 8:30 am, and a bunch of people were already at work and needed to get home.   People need to pay next month's rent, so if their employer says "we expect you at work today" they go.

 

Then there are people who lost power and decided they needed to try to get to a family member or friend who still had heat, or to a warming center.

 

And of course there are always people in every natural disaster who figure the news media is full of it and exaggerating, and don't decide they need groceries or whatever until they actually see the windows turn white.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Beck Water

[Buffalo_Stampede]

2 minutes ago, EasternOHBillsFan said:

 

Blaming the government for something like this is ridiculous... you people always want government out of things until a disaster happens and then you blame the government when they try to help people and ignore all of the help. If you don't have exact specific then why do you even have an opinion like this?!?!

It’s because it’s a tragedy. People love to politicize tragedies. It’s honestly sickening. Government officials do it all the time as well. Anything for a vote.

[Beck Water]

8 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I didn’t see any type of police escort. I haven’t seen anything to support his claims.

 

But I repeat. Orchard Park was under a State Of Emergency. The driving ban literally went into place only a couple hours before players were trying to get to the stadium. There were many abandoned cars and blocked roadways. They had 80” of snow the night before. It was considered a feel good story then. We all were watching it basically live as players were live posting the events. Police were helping even with all the abandoned vehicles on the road. 
 

The video below was happening in OP as OP police helped the Bills dig out to get to the stadium.
 

 

 

 

 

Just to be clear, I'm talking about the Christmas Eve blizzard, and you're talking about the much more localized heavy snowfall in Orchard Park Nov 19th.   As far as I know, EMS services were not suspended during that event, nor were there reports of people calling for help and EMS not being able to respond.

Edited December 27, 2022 by Beck Water

[Seventeen]

55 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

Didn't the people stuck ignore the travel ban/warnings of the storm? Reports prior were that it was projected to be worse than 77. 

 

Weather reports leading up to '77 didn't have it anywhere near as bad as it turned out. But all we had was local news back then. 

 

Roommate and I shoveled out my car and we drove down Elmwood looking for food - were stopped by BPD who told us there was a driving ban. 

Instead of a ticket, he told us what was open and after getting our food to turn it around, head home, and park it. 

[Solomon Grundy]

9 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I didn’t see any type of police escort. I haven’t seen anything to support his claims.

 

But I repeat. Orchard Park was under a State Of Emergency. The driving ban literally went into place only a couple hours before players were trying to get to the stadium. There were many abandoned cars and blocked roadways. They had 80” of snow the night before. It was considered a feel good story then. We all were watching it basically live as players were live posting the events. Police were helping even with all the abandoned vehicles on the road. 
 

The video below was happening in OP as OP police helped the Bills dig out to get to the stadium.
 

 

 

 

November 19th?? 

[Big Turk]

1 minute ago, Roy Hobbs said:

 

Weather reports leading up to '77 didn't have it anywhere near as bad as it turned out. But all we had was local news back then. 

 

Roommate and I shoveled out my car and we drove down Elmwood looking for food - were stopped by BPD who told us there was a driving ban. 

Instead of a ticket, he told us what was open and after getting our food to turn it around, head home, and park it. 

 

Basically there was almost no lead time in 77...it was like people went to work going about their normal day and then the reports of a terrible storm came in...my Mom luckily listened to them and left to get home. She said she made it about 5 minutes before it started getting really bad.

 

Everyone else she worked with made fun of her and laughed at her for leaving but they all ended up stuck at work for a few days so she got the last laugh.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

3 minutes ago, Solomon Grundy said:

November 19th?? 

Yes. When we were celebrating breaking the travel ban to get the Bills to the Airport. Remember Squirrel Winters?

Edited December 27, 2022 by Buffalo_Stampede

[Big Turk]

Just now, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Yes. When we were celebrating breaking the travel ban to get the Bills to the Airport. Remover Squirrel Winters?

 

Clearly it wasn't "breaking the travel ban" as they worked closely with local authorities to get them to the airport safely.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

6 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

Just to be clear, I'm talking about the Christmas Eve blizzard, and you're talking about the much more localized heavy snowfall in Orchard Park Nov 19th.   As far as I know, EMS services were not suspended during that event, nor were there reports of people calling for help and EMS not being able to respond.

It’s the same exact location. Orchard Park to the Airport. 
 

The conversation is about the Bills breaking the travel ban. They did it twice recently. Once was celebrated and this time criticized.

 

 I don’t see reports of police assistance this time. All we know is the team broke the travel ban.

[PromoTheRobot]

This is probably why the Sabres cancelled their game in Columbus tomorrow.

[Solomon Grundy]

12 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

I could be wrong but I think the travel ban was put into place Friday am like 8:30 am, and a bunch of people were already at work and needed to get home.   People need to pay next month's rent, so if their employer says "we expect you at work today" they go.

 

Then there are people who lost power and decided they needed to try to get to a family member or friend who still had heat, or to a warming center.

If I'm at work and the storm is approaching then I'm work's responsibility. They're to nourish me and shelter me. 

Warnings were given for the storm. Food, blankets, candles, flashlights were necessities that should've been had. 

The problem as I see it is that some people have that "it won't happen to me" mentality until it happens to them. 

I'm presently watching neighbors who are NOT essential workers driving their vehicles during a travel ban

[Buffalo_Stampede]

6 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Clearly it wasn't "breaking the travel ban" as they worked closely with local authorities to get them to the airport safely.

I’m just posting the double standard. People want to cry outrage because there are deaths that have nothing at all to do with the Bills. Politicizing a tragic storm.

[Buffalo716]

19 minutes ago, Beck Water said:

 

I could be wrong but I think the travel ban was put into place Friday am like 8:30 am, and a bunch of people were already at work and needed to get home.   People need to pay next month's rent, so if their employer says "we expect you at work today" they go.

 

Then there are people who lost power and decided they needed to try to get to a family member or friend who still had heat, or to a warming center.

 

And of course there are always people in every natural disaster who figure the news media is full of it and exaggerating, and don't decide they need groceries or whatever until they actually see the windows turn white.

Friday at 930 am and there were definitely people on the rode

 

my older mother wanted to make a quick stop at wegmans at 9am right as it was starting and I said it was a horrible idea and not too

[Buffalo_Stampede]

2 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

This is probably why the Sabres cancelled their game in Columbus tomorrow.

The airport is closed tomorrow.

[Beck Water]

3 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

Basically there was almost no lead time in 77...it was like people went to work going about their normal day and then the reports of a terrible storm came in...my Mom luckily listened to them and left to get home. She said she made it about 5 minutes before it started getting really bad.

 

Everyone else she worked with made fun of her and laughed at her for leaving but they all ended up stuck at work for a few days so she got the last laugh.

 

My (single parent) mom who was supporting 4 people worked 36 miles away in Batavia.  She was on the road home when it hit.  She made it, but it was tough, IIRC the Thruway closed and she drove Rt 5 then some back roads.  Of course this was before cell phones.  I remember how anxious we were when she called to tell us her work was closing so she was leaving a bit early, until she made it home.  Visibility sucked and she was powering through small drifts already.  She was driving some really rugged snow handling car - a Ford Maverick I believe, LOL.  Mom was tough.

 

She did have some emergency supplies with her, like a sleeping bag and nut mix and sterno and flares, sand and a shovel.  But still.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Just now, Buffalo716 said:

Friday at 930 am and there were definitely people on the rode

 

my older mother wanted to make a quick stop at wegmans at 9am right as it was starting and I said it was a horrible idea and not too

A lot of people ignore travel bans. People probably thought it’s just another snow storm. Didn’t help that Christmas shopping was still going.

[PromoTheRobot]

1 minute ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

The airport is closed tomorrow.

 

Yes, but they could have driven to ROC but probably decided not to because of the uproar caused by the Bills.