TONIGHT A few Clouds. Low of 28. Search for The Westfield News The Westfield “ISearchNSP forIRAT The WestfieldION IS News TODAY IN WESTFIELD News Westfield350.com The Westfield News AN EMPTY BANK HISTORY: Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHER 1806: Towne votes $20 ACCOUNT.” to procure scrapers CRITIC WITHOUT TONIGHT to repair highways AMBITION.” — MICKEY SPILLANE Partly Cloudy. Search for TheJOHN Westfield STEINBECK News Westfield350.comLow of 55. Thewww.thewestfieldnews.com WestfieldNews Serving Westfield, Southwick, and surrounding Hilltowns “TIME IS THE ONLY WEATHERVOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 CRITIC WITHOUT75 cents VOL.TONIGHT 87 NO. 58 FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018 75AMBITION Cents .” Partly Cloudy. JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Retire the Fire!’ VOL. 86 NO. 151 TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 Finance Committee 75 cents Using Home Oxygen Safely votes against water By TINA GORMAN Executive Director Westfield filtration bond Council On Aging WESTFIELD - Home oxygen use has By AMY PORTER become increasingly popular among older Correspondent adults as hospital stays have shortened in WESTFIELD – Department of Public Works Director David length and home healthcare services have Billips and Assistant Director Francis Cain spent two hours with advanced in recent years. Oxygen is ben- the Finance Committee Thursday, spending part of the time eficial to those individuals with extreme answering questions about a $13 million bond for water filtra- breathing difficulties who are in need of tion systems, water storage tanks, and interconnection with supplemental oxygen therapy. However Springfield water. precautions must be taken to keep both the The $13 million bond will pay for a treatment plant for wells person using the oxygen, as well as those one and two, and for seven and eight, which are currently living nearby, safe. Joe Hough of the Southwick Sports and Family Network spoke to offline. All four wells are the only source of water for the north Under normal cir- the school committee on Tuesday night. (Photo courtesy of Greg end of Westfield, according to Billips. The bond will also pay cumstances, room Fitzpatrick) for repairs to the Sackett, Provin Mountain and Northwest water air contains approx- storage tanks, to replace the water storage tank on East imately 21 percent Mountain Road, and to interconnect to Springfield water, the oxygen. When Non-profit looking to last two of which, Billips said, “should have been done years oxygen is used in ago.” the home, it can permeate into cloth- “What is before you is to deliver clean, safe drinking water to ing, fabric, hair, connect with community the people of Westfield,” Billips said. At-large Councilor Matt Emmershy, a member of the Finance beards, and furni- By GREG FITZPATRICK ents, current and former coach- Committee asked Billips and Cain about the $5 million bond ture. Contrary to Correspondent es, members of the Southwick approved in 2017 which he said was supposed to take care of popular belief, oxy- SOUTHWICK – A parent TINA GORMAN Recreation Center, high school wells seven and eight, the East Mountain water tower and to gen is not flamma- involved in Southwick sports students, and other areas. Their refurbish Sackett. ble, but it can cause spoke to the school committee mission is to help organizations other flammable materials to ignite more on Tuesday about his newly- in town that are involved in See Water, Page 3 easily and to burn more quickly. When formed organization. Joe Hough, sports and the community more oxygen is in the air, hair, plastic, skin oils, clothing, and furniture can catch fire at the head coach for the softball aspects that come with it. lower temperatures. And those fires will team at Southwick Regional According to Hough, the net- burn hotter and faster than usual. Therefore, School, started the Southwick work already has a number of oxygen should always be handled with Sports and Family Network in sponsors and partnerships. The caution and an awareness of potential haz- December 2017. list includes the Southwick Rec ards. A non-profit organization, the Center, Player’s Edge, Batter’s It is important to keep home oxygen and Southwick Sports and Family tubing ten feet away from heat sources. Network is comprised of par- See Non-Profit, Page 3 Common heat sources include matches, lighters, cigarettes, candles, gas stoves, appliances, electric razors, hair dryers, and heaters. Flammable products such as oils, grease, petroleum products, and oil-based lip balms or lotions must be avoided. Instead, water-based lubricants should be Training sessions on used on the lips and skin. Smoking while using home oxygen is not just a personal health hazard, it is a public safety danger. It puts everyone in suicide prevention set DPW Director David Billips and Assistant Director Francis the house or apartment building at risk. A By LORI SZEPELAK Cain spoke to the Finance Committee on Thursday. (Photo by person should never smoke while using Correspondent Amy Porter) oxygen. A “No Smoking” sign should be WESTFIELD — City resident Heather posted at a prominent place at the entrance of the home. Visitors should be encour- White is eager to start a conversation aged to smoke outside. about suicide prevention - and encour- Oxygen cylinders and vessels should be ages teens, parents and kept in a well-ventilated area and not in concerned citizens to get closets, behind curtains, in the trunk of a involved. White, an area Street construction car, or in other confined spaces. The small director with the amount of oxygen gas that is continually American Foundation for vented from these units can accumulate in Suicide Prevention (AFSP), will sponsor project starting soon a confined space and become a fire hazard. safeTalk training sessions later this Oxygen cylinders and vessels must remain month at First United Methodist Church By GREG FITZPATRICK upright at all times. They should be on Court Street. The word “safe” in safe- HEATHER WHITE Correspondent secured to a fixed object or placed in a Talk stands for “Suicide Alertness for SOUTHWICK – DPW Director Randy Brown announced stand with the oxygen concentrator Everyone.” “Suicide is the only leading on Wednesday that the construction for the Veterans Street plugged into a properly grounded wall cause of death that is on the rise in the United States,” said White. “It is project will begin shortly. Caracas Construction, who is the outlet. The cylinder valve should be turned up to each and every one of us to learn the signs and the basic steps to help contractor, is expected to begin the work once the weather off when the oxygen is not in use. someone struggling.” gets a little warmer and the ground is dry. If precautions are not taken, the dangers White said the statistics are “startling” and in particular, the fastest The project is focused on installing a new drainage system of home oxygen use are genuine. Cigarette growing rates of suicide are among teenage girls. “Suicide is the second and water line, along with widening the road. Brown noted smoking is by far the leading cause of leading cause of death in our children as young as 10 to 15 years old,” said that there are some major issues with the street because there burns, reported fires, deaths, and injuries White. “Behind only accidents, this makes depression and suicide the is an inability to have two vehicles travel on that road safely. involving home medical oxygen, with number one medical cause of death for our children and yet the mental The current water line on Veteran Street is undersized at one ninety percent of the victims suffering and one-half inches to two inches and the new water line will facial burns. Cooking and candles are health of our children is just not made a priority in this country.” White is passionate about the need for community members to educate themselves be six inches. According to Brown, the upgrade of a six-inch other common factors. Westfield Fire water line will be a major improvement for a street that has Chief Mary Regan warns, “When more to the realities of suicide, the signs, and ways to help save lives and bring oxygen is in the air, fires will burn hotter hope to those affected by suicide. 18 lots. and faster.” Home oxygen use can be a “This community and First United Methodist Church have been very In October, the Select Board signed a contract for Caracas lifesaver if utilized properly. However, it supportive of suicide prevention and awareness efforts,” said White, not- Construction to be the contractor as they were the lowest can also be a fire risk for users, family ing she is a member of the church. Training sessions are planned at the bidder at $327,380. The project is being completely funded members, neighbors, and pets if basic fire through a Community Development Block Grant. safety precautions are ignored. See safeTALK, Page 3 Comedy for a Cause coming to Westfield By LORI SZEPELAK things they wouldn’t usually think about Correspondent laughing at.” WESTFIELD — Laughter brings people Laura Taylor, president of the all-volun- together, and comedian Rafi Gonzalez is teer, nonprofit WFE, is also hopeful that hopeful his take on the city - and life in area residents will attend the fundraiser. general - will be a catalyst for persons “We hope residents find it important to sup- attending Comedy for a Cause. Gonzalez, a port this event as they’ll be supporting stu- 2004 graduate of Westfield High School, ry schools. He promises his segment will dents in Westfield public schools,” said will be one of three comedians to take the include Westfield humor. “There are so Taylor.