Mountain residents stranded by Southern California’s recent storm were set to get help from the California National Guard on Thursday, after the governor declared a state of emergency in 13 counties, including San Bernardino.
The Guard was prepping helicopters Thursday morning at Joint Forces Training Base-Los Alamitos to head up to the mountains to assist residents, some of whom have been without power for days and unable to leave their snowed-in homes.
Authorities were also able to open up travel Thursday mid-morning on state route 18 from Big Bear to Lucerne Valley — for residents only. Highways 18 and 330 remained closed early Thursday afternoon above San Bernardino.
Caltrans said crews had removed 7,276,231 cubic yards of snow from roads in the San Bernardino Mountains as of Wednesday.
Calls for help
Some residents were getting increasingly desperate for help, unable to get medicine and supplies.
I feel for those without a generator. Mine has kicked in several times during the storms. The cold must be unbearable for those who have been without power. I am unable to even exit my house except through the garage. We need some major help up here for all the residences.🥶😓😱
— Karen Bush (@spunky77bump) March 1, 2023
About the emergency declaration
San Bernardino County residents have been under a state of emergency since Monday evening, as the rush of snow from the winter storm has left some people in mountain communities stranded or even snowed in.
The declaration calls for state and federal support to help clear mountain highways and neighboring streets from snow, as well as to provide any…
Read the full article here
