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JOHN STEINBECK Low of 55. www.thewestfieldnews.com Attention Westfield: Open Space VOL. 86 NO. 151 75 cents Let’s ‘Retire the Fire!’ CommitteeTUESDAY, JUNE 27, 2017 By TINA GORMAN discussing Executive Director Westfield Council On Aging With support from the changes at Westfield Fire Department, the Westfield Public Safety Communication Center, the next meeting Westfield News, the Westfield By GREG FITZPATRICK Rotary Club, and Mayor Brian Correspondent Sullivan, the Westfield Council SOUTHWICK – The Open On Aging is once again launch- Space Committee is holding ing its annual Retire the Fire! another meeting on Wednesday at fire prevention and safety cam- 7 p.m. at the Southwick Town paign for the City’s older Hall. TINA GORMAN According to Open Space adults. During the week of Executive Director March 4 to 8, residents of Committee Chairman Dennis Westfield Council Clark, the meeting will consist of Westfield will see Retire the On Aging Fire! flyers hung throughout reviewing at the changes that have the City and buttons with the been made to the plan, including Sunny Sunday Skier at Stanley Park slogan worn by Council On Aging staff, seniors, and the new mapping that will be Kim Saffer of Westfield gets in some cross-country ski practice on a sunny community leaders. Both are gentle reminders that implemented in order to update Sunday morning at Stanley Park before an anticipated winter storm hits. (Photo fire safety for Westfield’s older adults is a personal, the last open space plan from by Marc St.Onge) family, and community effort. 2010. The committee will be dis- The focus of this year’s Retire cussing the comments submitted the Fire! effort is attention to the by the DPW and the Planning special safety precautions and Board. requirements for those who are “There’s a lot of other informa- living with or caring for some- tion that we need to compile,” said Southwick’s one with Alzheimer’s disease, Clark. dementia, or memory loss. Last Some of the information year’s Emergency Information includes trying to confirm all of Smith receives Form has been renamed, revised, the preserved land that are in and simplified, and is available at the Senior Center. Southwick. The First Responder Informative Extra Needs Open Space Committee mem- award from Directive or FRIEND form provides information to ber Russ Fox is hoping that first responders about the person in need, prior to enough progress can be made at arriving on the scene. It is helpful for first responders the meeting in order to have a Career Tech to know ahead of time if the person in distress has clearer picture of their current sit- Alzheimer’s disease, a dementia diagnosis, memory uation with the open space plan. By GREG FITZPATRICK loss, or cognitive limitations as well as hearing, “We can see where we’re at and Correspondent visual, or mobility challenges. FRIEND forms are what else we can do,” said Fox. SOUTHWICK – On February 25, the Southwick Regional School Senior, available in the Westfield Senior Center’s ‘Senior Fox added that one plan for the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional Sarah Smith, was named the 2019 CTEC Safety Office’ located directly across from the near future may be holding a pub- School District announced that Sarah Outstanding Vocational Student of the Greeter’s desk. For those who would like assistance lic hearing in order to allow the Smith, a senior at Southwick Regional Year. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick) completing the forms, COA staff members are avail- community to offer input on what School, had been recognized as the able to help. they want to see, or don’t want to Lower Pioneer Valley Career and Southwick Regional School in the morn- An additional goal of the Retire the Fire! program see, in the new 2019 plan. Technical Education Center Outstanding ing and then attends graphic design class- is working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide The Open Space Committee Vocational Student of the Year. es at Career Tech. detectors in the homes of all of the City’s older sent out about 2,000 surveys to all An extension of the seven-member Every year, teachers from each pro- adults. Sixty percent of the fire deaths that occur homeowners in Southwick and high schools served by the Lower gram nominate students for the each year take place in homes without smoke alarms has already received some com- Pioneer Valley Educational Outstanding Vocational Student of the or working smoke alarms. Massachusetts law pleted forms from residents. The Collaborative, Career Tech of West Year award. It’s required that the students requires certain types of smoke detectors based on survey featured 11 questions about Springfield allows students to spend half nominated are pursuing post-secondary the year that the home was built. Courtesy of the various recreational opportunities. of their school day at Career Tech and training, have secured a job, or are seek- Westfield Fire Department, specific written guide- Clark reported that they received learn a specific skill that they could use ing employment in their career area. The lines are available at the Senior Center for homes back more than 400 surveys of the for a future career. constructed prior to 1975, between 1975 and 1997, approximately 2,000 surveys that Currently, Smith goes to two classes at See Award, Page 2 and those built after 1997. were sent out. The main bullet Regarding detector battery replacement, the cur- points expressed by residents rent regulation is that homes built before 1975 must included having residential hous- be equipped with smoke detectors with a ten-year life ing be single homes, have spe- span. These smoke detectors are sold as ten-year cialty shopping, offer a new mul- Volunteers sought for ‘sealed lithium battery power alarms.’ On older tipurpose center and social area detectors, batteries should be replaced annually. A for teenagers, as well as improv- good rule of thumb for Westfield’s older adults is to ing the water quality protection replace the batteries during Retire the Fire! week. areas in town. new youth running series With daylight saving time on the horizon this week- The committee was formed as By LORI SZEPELAK end, now is the perfect time to attend to this task. the town of Southwick needs to Correspondent Unfortunately, many older adults cannot and should update their Open Space and SOUTHWICK-For one Tolland woman, bringing the joy of running to young people not replace the batteries themselves. Most detectors Recreation Plan. Every communi- in the region begins with the first step. are installed in the ceiling of a room and the use of a ty in Massachusetts has the option “In my early years I used to run track,” said Andi DeSanto, an elementary and ladder is necessary for battery replacement. For to renew their plan every seven middle school teacher who shared her love of the sport over the years with her students. safety reasons, older adults should enlist the help of years. Southwick’s latest plan was Beginning April 28 for five weeks, DeSanto is launching relatives, friends, and neighbors to change the batter- 2011 and the deadline for them to Healthy Kids Running Series Southwick at Whalley Park, 42 ies in their smoke alarms. renew the plan is November of Powdermill Road. Race dates also include May 5, 12, 19 and An important question that Retire the Fire! coordi- 2019. The plan allows municipali- 26. All events begin at 4 p.m. nators are asking the City’s older adults is, “Can you ties in town to apply for various The Healthy Kids Running Series (HKRS) is a national, be found in an emergency?” It is not unusual for grants from the state. community based nonprofit – now in its 10th year – which older adults to require the services of firefighters, The committee is looking to provides a fun, five-week running program for ages 2 to 14 that paramedics, or police officers. The faster that emer- keep the bulk of the plan building lays the foundation for a healthy lifestyle through goal setting gency personnel can get to the scene, the more likely process internal. Committee mem- and dedication, according to DeSanto. that a life can be saved or a disaster averted. But ber Russ Fox has noted that a “I chose to bring this program to the area because I have two what if emergency personnel can’t find the victim’s majority of the 2019 plan will young kids and there are not a lot of options for them,” said DeSanto, who is serving house? Massachusetts law requires that homes have, look similar to 2011, but some as community coordinator of the series. “These races are kid appropriate and it is a nice on the dwelling, a number representing the address. House numbers are available through the Council On See Open Space, Page 2 See Youth Running Series Volunteers, Page 5 Aging and can be installed by members of the Westfield Rotary Club for those sixty and older who need visible numbers on their house.