The Massachusetts National Guard began snow clean-up Tuesday night following Gov. Charlie Baker activating about 500 members to help dig out after this winter's historic amount of snowfall.
In Weymouth on the Bay State's South Shore, tactical dump trucks arrived around 6 p.m. to help with snow removal. The soldiers, from 181st Engineer Company out of Cape Cod, began removing snow that had been piling up in Weymouth’s Columbian Square.
According to the Massachusetts National Guard, they will use dump trucks, front end loaders and humvees to remove snow for critical assets, clear fire hydrants, and clear roads for emergency responders.
Crews were also set to assist Hull, Halifax, Whitman, Salem and Douglas.
The governor also requested federal disaster aid to help ease the pressure from state and local government budgets being strained by clean-up costs. Mayor Walsh says Boston alone has spent over $30 million with more than five weeks left of winter, far exceeding its $18.5 million snow removal budget.
Baker announced other measures Tuesday, including purchasing two snow melters that can melt up to 25 large truckloads of snow an hour and appealing to nearby Vermont, New York and Pennsylvania for additional resources.
