Governor Peter Shumlin today authorized Vermont National Guard personnel and resources to assist the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in snow removal and winter storm recovery efforts following record snowfall over the past two weeks. A Vermont National Guard Snow Removal Force will deploy to Massachusetts in the coming days for up to 15 days and will include 40 troops, 12 dump trucks, and other snow removal equipment. The governor spoke to Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and signed the order authorizing the deployment Tuesday evening. A copy of the letter is below.
“Vermont will always do what we can to help our neighbors when they need it,” Shumlin said. “In the span of two weeks, Massachusetts has faced multiple snow events that have caused significant transportation issues for residents and public safety services. The Vermont National Guard is well equipped to help in this situation, and I want to thank the men and women with the Guard who will travel to Massachusetts in the coming days to assist our neighbors.”
The Commonwealth had requested help with snow removal by way of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC is a state-to-state mutual aid agreement in which resources for disaster response and recovery can be requested and received. The cost of the Guard mission will be paid for by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
