San Bernardino deputies check for victims still trapped in snow
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, Calif. - Nearly two weeks after a series of massive storms buried the communities of the San Bernardino Mountains in feet of snow, several residents are still stuck, and deputies are still working to contact them.
San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies spent part of Saturday trekking through snow piles, climbing to hard-to-reach doors, and performing welfare checks on some residents in the community. At one home, Deputy Victoria Twardowski said that the resident had called saying she couldn't get out and receive her medication.
"All this is just a lot," the resident said, clearly emotional.
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For some, it's been too much. As of Thursday, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said it has responded to 13 death investigations. A preliminary investigation revealed only one of the 13 deaths is directly correlated to the weather, the sheriff's office said. That person died at the hospital following a traffic crash during the storm. Four of the other victims were either in hospice or died at the hospital, according to authorities. The eight remaining deaths are under investigation by the coroner.
For those still trapped, it's been a struggle to reach those who need help. Up until recently, these communities were only reachable by snowcat.
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"Starting last week we were able to respond to calls for service on those snowcats and get back into some of the communities that were really impacted with snow and that we've had a hard time, or haven't been able to reach," Twardowski said.
"It's been a catastrophe, but it's melting now, so it'll get better, you know," said one resident.
The County is offering refunds of up to $500 for residents who had to pay to get dug out of their homes. You must submit photos of the completed work. To learn more about reimbursements, tap or click here.