Page 10 - Work_Force_January_2023

‘A top five worst storm:’
CSEA members mobilize for blizzard
WEST SENECA — Everyone in in Western New York knew the snow snow was was coming Estimates of how much snow snow was was going to to fall were up to to six feet in in in some areas but no no no one would really know until it happened However one thing was certain – CSEA members would be be actively working to to to to respond to to to to the the storm and get the the community back to to to to normal as as quickly as as possible On November 17 CSEA Town of West Seneca Blue Collar Unit President Brian Cummins arrived at at at work around 7 a a a a a a a a a a m m m m ready for anything Mother Nature threw at at at at him That night as the the the snow began to fall Cummins and and the the the the the unit’s 92 other members were all-hands- on-deck as they prepared to to keep up with the the the the storm However as as the the snow accumulated at at at an accelerating pace there was no no keeping up with it it Over the the next few days town employees worked around the the clock often getting little sleep to clear roads and even help with emergency response Cummins said he he didn’t go go home from when he he he got in in that that Thursday until 6 p m m m m m m m m on Sunday In that that time frame more than five feet of snow fell
in West Seneca “I’ve been here over 30 years and this is is by far
one of the top five worst storms I’ve I’ve ever seen ” said Cummins Members spent days and nights on the roads clearing as as much snow as as possible for residents and emergency emergency vehicles Cummins often found himself assisting emergency emergency services in in in home rescues On Friday night he he was at a a a a a a a a home in in West Seneca with a a a a a a a a a a a front-loader helping clear out snow from the entrance of a a a a a a a a a a a home where an an an elderly man was was experiencing a a a a a a a a a a medical emergency On Saturday he he was was helping firefighters rescue employees from a a a a a a a collapsing gas station After the the the storm settled their work persisted For the the the the the next several days members were still working around the the the clock-but moving their efforts more to snow removal On Tuesday Cummins drove a a a a a a a front-loader down a a a a a a a a narrow dead-end street The only residents on on it were those living in in in a a a a a a a a a a small apartment complex and and a a a a a a a a a a a a single-family home He put the the front-loader in in gear and and accelerated full-force at at at the the snow to to push it as as far
back as as he he he he could before bringing what he he he had picked up to to to a a a a a a a a a nearby truck to dump “I never see plows come down this street ” said the single family home resident “Usually I’m stuck getting out myself ” She spoke to Cummins about how infrequently her street is is plowed and thanked him profusely for his work While the the members’ efforts are key to their community’s success and safety CSEA members members in in the Town of West Seneca are also fighting for fairness The unit has been without a a a a a a contract since December 2020 and members are fighting for for a a a a a a a a a fair agreement (See page 8 for more )
Unit members are still dedicated to the the community that many of them call home — Madison Ruffo
Town President operating were Western clock Town of West Seneca Blue-Collar Unit President Brian Cummins uses the front loader at left to clear snow from an an apartment complex on on a a a a a a a a a a a residential street 10 The Work Force
January 2023
Near right Collar Unit a a Far right Town of West Seneca Blue responders reach residences during the in in Town of West Seneca Blue Collar Unit President in a a a a person from their home due to a a a medical