Glens Falls company sends crews to aid snowed-in Mid-Atlantic - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Glens Falls company sends crews to aid snowed-in Mid-Atlantic

By TARYN FITSIK

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- A local snow removal company is sending crews down south to lend a helping hand to businesses and residents, trying to recover from record snow fall. With two major storms in under two weeks, parts of the south are still digging out, after receiving upwards of four feet of snow. North Country Snow and Ice in Glens Falls has mobilized 20 employees and 15 pieces of heavy equipment to Annapolis, Maryland, an area of the country not used to a massive amount of snow in such a short period of time.

"It's crippling when you get into that Maryland, DC, Mid-Atlantic area, they don't have the equipment to support it," says Michael Merrill, the CEO of North Country Snow and Ice. "They don't have the training, they don't have the manpower, people's budgets don't support that kind of snowfall."

A snowfall that paralyzed the area, leaving both residents and businesses buried. Merrill's Chief Production Officer has been in Maryland for four days now, and spoke to News 10 about what it's been like since he arrived.

"The side streets are totally unpassable, cars are just left in parking lots abandoned, it's a state of non- functioning," says Scott McDonald.

McDonald says while the main roads have improved, side streets are still covered with hard packed ice and snow. He also says fuel is very hard to come by, with most stations out of diesel or gas. Right now, McDonald's crews are servicing a 40 to 50 mile stretch between Annapolis and Washington D.C, working around the clock.

"Being in the snow business, we're used to going through stretches 30-40 hours long, sometimes up to four to five days, depending on the size of the event where we are, but down here, it's taking it's toll," says McDonald.

But with the weekend here, the work continues, with snow companies down south taking advantage of the help Merrill's company is offering.

"When the word starts to spread, that you're in that market and you have capacity, the phone starts to rings," says Merrill.

Merrill says he has contacts with many snow companies throughout the country, which is how he became involved in the recovery effort, working as a subcontractor. While Merrill says he has sent all of his backup equipment down south, he will still be able serve his clients in New York without disruption.