ELMIRA, N.Y. (WENY) -- Wednesday, February 19th wrapped up day three of the ongoing strike that's not only happening at Elmira Correctional Facility, but also other prisons across the state. Dozens of people continued striking outside ECF, staying warm with heaters and barrel fires.

The corrections officers on strike are demanding safer conditions and better staffing. The strike began after corrections officers at both Elmira and Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County refused to attend their shifts. WENY News was told by officers striking that about 55 COs are still on duty from their shift Sunday, and inmates are being fed. It has not been made explicitly clear if COs have been given the chance to sleep or shower.

State and federal lawmakers have raised concerns regarding rising violence in prisons, particularly due to staff shortages and the implementation of the HALT Act, which restricts solitary confinement.

In contrast to Governor Kathy Hochul's stance, some lawmakers support the striking officers. Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy expressed his solidarity.

"I stand with you, I stand for you, and I will fight beside you," said Rep Nick Langworthy in a Facebook video on Tuesday, February 18th. "The decision you made to strike was not one you made lightly. It comes years after you speaking up, raising concerns, only to be met by silence or empty promises."

Gov. Hochul is calling the strike by corrections officers across the state "illegal" and "unlawful", saying their actions must end immediately. On Tuesday, the Governor said she was preparing to send in the New York National Guard to correctional facilities sometime Wednesday if officers didn't return to work. On Wednesday, the Guard's arrival appeared a little less certain.

"I will not allow this chaos to continue. My administration and I have been and will continue meeting with union leadership to resolve this situation immediately. If it is not resolved, I will send in the [State] National Guard to secure the facilities in question. They've already been deployed and are ready to stabilize the situation," said Gov. Hochul.

In a statement from the Governor's Office on Feb. 19th, it said that "more than 3,500 members of the NY National Guard started reporting for duty as advance crews are at correctional facilities ahead of the larger deployment to determine logistical needs, roles, and responsibilities. [NY] National Guard members will support and supplement current correctional staff on site to ensure safety and security with tasks including distributing meals and medication to incarcerated individuals and help maintain general order and wellness in the facilities. Additional members are expected to report for duty in the coming hours and days."

At the time of this publication, it's unclear if any advance crews are at ECF.

On Wednesday afternoon, Assemblyman Phil Palmesano commented on the strikes happening at correctional facilities saying:

"The situation happening at our correctional facilities across the state is no doubt a reflection of the worsening and dangerous working conditions at our state correctional facilities. Gov. Hochul now indicating she wants to call in the National Guard only reinforces this safety crisis. The combination of prison closures, a massive staffing shortage and policies that make correctional officers’ (COs) jobs more difficult have created a powder keg environment inside state prisons. We are seeing record highs of inmate-on-staff and inmate-on-inmate assaults (up 76% and 169% respectively) since the implementation of the dangerous HALT Act three years ago. More COs are retiring and resigning each year than are coming in. Currently, there are more than 2,200 CO vacancies. This is unacceptable, dangerous and unsustainable and must be addressed now.

Pay and benefits for our COs need to be increased, including recruitment and retention bonuses. The "death gamble" legislation, which ensures earned pensions of COs are passed along to family members if they pass away while still employed, has been vetoed twice by the governor. The HALT Act needs to be fully repealed. We're at a tipping point and the path we've been on clearly hasn't worked.”