// Risk Intelligence
| Risk Score | 7 / 10 High |
| Facility Type | 🏥 Major Hospital / Trauma Center |
| Operator / Branch | Erie County Medical Center |
| Host County | Erie County NY |
| Nearest City | Washington DC |
| Primary Risk Radius | 25 miles |
| Secondary Risk Radius | 100 miles |
// Strategic Significance
Erie County Medical Center is the primary Level I trauma center for western New York serving Buffalo and the communities along the Canadian border. It is the primary safety-net hospital for Erie County and treats a high volume of lake-effect snow related trauma.
// Civilian Impact Assessment
Buffalo metro with 1.2 million residents and western New York depend on ECMC as the primary Level I trauma center. Extreme lake-effect blizzards from Lake Erie create recurring mass casualty scenarios including the catastrophic December 2022 blizzard that killed 47 people.
// Evacuation & Shelter Guidance
I-90, I-190, Grider Street. Erie County Emergency Management coordinates lake-effect blizzard and mass casualty protocols.