'Help is on the way!' Edmonton sending snow plows to Calgary

Who says you can't count on your neighbours?

Edmonton is sending help to Calgary as the southern Alberta city works to clear a record snowfall from its streets.

• Record snowfall wallops Calgary in 1st storm of season

"Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for Calgary and the City of Edmonton has been called upon for help," the city said in a media advisory Tuesday afternoon.

Mayor Don Iveson tweeted that 30 City of Edmonton plows are "rolling out" Tuesday to help Calgary.

"Help is on the way!" Ivesonsaid in the tweet.

JanetTecklenborg, the city's director of infrastructure operations for parks and road services, said she believes the offer to help Calgary clear its streets of snow is a first.

"I am not aware of any time in the recent past that we've gone down to help with snow removal," she said.

Calgary's emergency response co-ordinatormade the request to Edmonton's emergency response co-ordinatorearly Tuesday, she said.

'We're a winter city'

'We're a winter city and we understand the challenges that Calgary is going through, so when Calgary called today and asked for support we were happy to help out as best we can."

Sixty operators and some supervisors will depart Edmonton later Tuesday for Calgary.

They will help out in Calgary for 24 to 36 hours, "to help get in front of the storm," Tecklenborgsaid.

"I just wanted to thank our crews," sheadded."They are doing this on short notice and leaving their families to go and help out with Calgary."

Crews had about four hours' notice, she said.

Thirtypieces of equipment are headed to Calgary, includingfive front-mount plows and 15 underbelly plows,Tecklenborgsaid.

The plows won't likely travel in a convoy because they will be leaving from different roadway maintenanceyards, she said.

Details of how Edmonton's costs will be covered have not yet been worked out, she added.

In Calgary, city crews worked all night and into Tuesday morningto clear roads after a record-breaking 15 to 25 centimetres of snow fell overnight.

The previous record for Oct. 2 was set in 1954 with only about five centimetres.

Other help is headed to Calgary from Red Deer, Okotoks and Medicine Hat.

The City of Red Deer is sending two plows and two graders, along with eight operators.