“Brockton was at the epicenter, like New Bedford and Fall River” : Lt-Governor Kim Driscoll
Falll River, February 26, 2026 – By Yves Cajuste, InfoHaiti.net – Communities across southeastern Massachusetts are digging out after a powerful blizzard dropped more than a foot of snow in parts of the South Coast, with some areas reporting totals approaching 18 inches. Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll traveled to Fall River on Thursday to provide an update on the state’s response and ongoing recovery efforts.
Healey and Driscoll were joined at a media briefing at 140 Commerce Drive by MassDOT Undersecretary and Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT Highway Chief of Operations and Maintenance Joe Foti, and Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan.
State officials said Brockton, New Bedford and Fall River were among the hardest-hit communities.
In response to a question from InfoHaiti.net regarding conditions in Brockton, Driscoll described the situation as particularly challenging, noting that many roads had initially remained unplowed and that accumulated, slushy snow created hazardous travel conditions, causing several vehicles to become stranded.
“It was a big storm. Brockton was at the epicenter, like New Bedford and Fall River. So there was a tremendous amount of snow,” Driscoll said.
She said the volume of snow limited the effectiveness of smaller plows. The state responded by sending larger trucks and additional heavy equipment to assist local crews.
Driscoll said that while in Brockton, where she met with Mayor Moises Rodrigues to assess storm conditions, the state deployed additional heavy-duty vehicles to support local snow removal efforts. “Four vehicles were coming in from the state — the larger trucks — and we now have up to 20 pieces of equipment operating on the ground,” she said. She added that specialized snow removal machinery was being used to break up compacted snow and clear major roadways.
She said the priority is to ensure residents can safely return to school, work and other daily activities. State officials indicated they are coordinating closely with Mayor Rodrigues and municipal teams to expedite cleanup operations.
The Healey administration emphasized continued collaboration between state and local officials to restore safe travel conditions and assist communities affected by the storm as recovery efforts move forward.
