Oregon Public Broadcasting

About 200 military reservists are helping to clear snow from the roofs of Spokane-area schools.

Army National Guard soldiers spent the day Wednesday in the Cheney School District, about 15 miles west of Spokane.

They’ll be joined Thursday in nearby Medical Lake by Air National Guard members.

Colonel Greg Bulkley says the soldiers are supplementing the private snow-clearing effort.

Greg Bulkley: “We’ve gone through all the contractors locally. They’re all busy with roofs in commercial businesses, other schools. You’ll see them out and about in the school districts. So then they asked the Washington Military Department for help and that’s why we’re here.”

Bulkley says at least four other Spokane area districts have asked that the soldiers be assigned to their schools. He says the military units will be deployed until Sunday.