BUFFALO, N.Y. — After a blizzard resulted in the death of at least 40 people in Western New York over Christmas weekend, Buffalo Common Council member Chris Scanlon is pushing for change.

Scanlon is filing resolutions to better equip the city’s first responders in the event of major snow storms. He said in the span of six weeks, parts of the city have been hammered with feet of snow and the city should prepare for more should this pattern continue.

He is proposing the allocation of funds from the American Rescue Plan and reallocation of $500,000 for south district capital projects to go directly to purchasing vehicles for the snow fleet. This includes two new plows, tracked vehicles, and snowmobiles.

He is also pushing for in-house counselors for first responders to treat the mental health impacts of the year’s traumatic events. 

This proposal is set to be discussed at the next Common Council meeting on Tues., Jan. 10.