State Police helped transport a woman who was en route to Cleveland for a heart transplant and became stranded in her car along with her husband due to the Lake Effect snowstorm that impacted Western New York.
On Friday, Troopers made contact with a 64-year-old woman who left the Rochester area with her husband en route to Cleveland Clinic for a heart transplant. While traveling on State Route 5 in the town of Portland, due to the severity of the snowstorm and road conditions in the area, they became stranded. The 64-year-old had a battery-powered heart pump and before the situation became critical the husband contacted a nurse from Cleveland Clinic. That nurse was able to contact the State Police and Troopers were able to maintain continuous contact and locate them with a State Police Utility Task Vehicle. Troopers implemented a plan to transport the 64-year-old to the Portland Fire Department and then to Westfield Memorial Hospital. Troopers then transported her to the Jamestown Airport in Chautauqua County clear of the storm and she was flown by plane out of the area to Cleveland Clinic for the heart transplant.
During the Lake Effect storm from Thanksgiving to Sunday, in the southern areas of Western New York along the I-90 corridor from Erie County to the Pennsylvania state line, Troopers assisted 111 disabled vehicles, investigated 82 property damage collisions, and investigated seven personal injury collisions.
Have all the Finger Lakes news from Finger Lakes News Radio delivered to your email every morning for FREE! Sign up by clicking here
