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The Westfield News Serving Westfield, Southwick, and the surrounding Hilltowns
www.thewestfieldnews.com TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2013
VOL. 82 NO. 301
75 cents
Council adopts state mutual aid law
City saves buying local By Peter Francis Staff Writer WESTFIELD – A series of municipal green energy projects recently took advantage of the services of local companies, enabling the city to save money and help the local economy. The city insisted upon the use of Mestek/ HB Smith water boilers, drywalling from Bryco Construction, electrical work from Elm Electric, and wood/millwork from Westek for these projects, chief among them repairs being made to City Hall. Multinational conglomerate Siemens oversaw the installation of 18 boilers, 14 HB Smith boilers and four additional Mestek Hydrotherms, being placed in various city buildings. “We worked on new heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with Siemens,” said Paul Asselin, a service manager with Elm Electrical. “To make the buildings are more energy efficient, we installed new frequency drives, so the building’s fans won’t be on full blast all the time, and their speed can be adjusted.” “It’s been good for us. It’s been keeping people working,” he said, adding that former Westfield Vocational-Technical High School students have worked with Elm to renovate their alma mater. “We’ve also replaced windows at both buildings, to make them tighter.” When asked how Elm was able to secure the contract for the City Hall and Westfield Voc-Tech green energy projects, Asselin said that they were put up for a public bid and Elm’s low numbers and proven track record with Siemens was what got them the contract. “We’re fortunate to have the numbers we had and to be able to work with the city,” he said. “And we’ve worked with Siemens in the past, so that, plus our good numbers, did it for us.” “We have a good relationship with Siemens,” reiterated Erik Pederson of Elm Electrical. “They’re very specific and they See Buying Local, Page 3
Southwick Fire Chief Richard Anderson, foreground, checks his watch after a fire inspector activates a pull box alarm at Woodland Elementary School. Contractors have installed a talking alarm system that will verbally inform everyone of the emergency. Checking the system in the master control room. left, is Southwick Fire Inspector Ralph Vecchio and Mark Parent, foreman of Schmidt Electric. (File photo by Frederick Gore)
SFD works closely on campus overhaul By Hope E. Tremblay Staff Writer SOUTHWICK – The Southwick Fire Department has been working almost daily at the site of the campus renovation in Southwick. The Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District renovations include updates throughout Woodland Elementary and Powdermill Middle schools, as well as updates and a new wing at the high school. Since the project began over the summer, Fire Chief Richard Anderson and other inspectors have been on site almost daily. Anderson said the updates to the fire alarm system and addition of a sprinkler system will be a life-saving measure, but they require a lot
WSU Alumni offers donations
of oversight and inspection. “We work hand in hand with Building Inspector Denis Gaido,” said Anderson. “He has been very involved with us from the beginning.” Inspectors must test alarms regularly during construction. “No matter what, they have to be working,” Anderson said. At Woodland there is a split system and Anderson said the two systems need to “talk to each other,” which involves numerous tests and inspections. “We also made sure the panels are being put in a place that is safe and accessible,” he said. See SFD, Page 3
John Cullinan, a Westfield State University Alumni executive member, left, presents a donation to Ed Fournier, executive director of the Westfield Soup Kitchen, during a brief ceremony Monday. The donation will be used for the Westfield Soup Kitchen general fund. (Photo
Gail LaGasse, right, executive director of the Westfield Salvation Army Service Center, accepts a donation from John Cullinan, a Westfield State University Alumni executive member, during a brief ceremony at the 12 Arnold Street location Monday. Proceeds will benefit the Salvation Army Kettle Drive fundraiser. (Photo by Frederick
by Frederick Gore)
Gore)
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Merry Christmas. Wednesday, Dec. 25th, the Westfield News will not publish.
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By Dan Moriarty Staff Writer WESTFIELD – The City Council voted to accept a state law that formalizes mutual aid agreements which emergency responders have had in place informally with neighboring communities for decades. The council, on a unanimous voice vote, adopted provisions of Massachusetts General Law (MGL), Chapter 40, Section 4J which extends the city’s mutual aid capability statewide. The law extends mutual aid beyond police and fire mutual aid and states: “There shall be a statewide public safety mutual aid agreement to create a framework for the provision of mutual aid assistance among the parties to the agreement in the case of a public safety incident. The assistance to be provided under the agreement shall include, but not be limited to, fire service, law enforcement, emergency medical services, transportation, communications, public works, engineering, building inspection, planning and information assistance, resource support, public health, health and medical services, search and rescue assistance and any other resource, equipment or personnel that a party to the agreement may request or provide in anticipation of, or in response to, a public safety incident.” Ward 1 Councilor Christopher Keefe, who as Legislative & Ordinance Committee chairman introduced the motion Thursday night, said “this just formalizes” the mutual aid agreements already in place. “It smooths out jurisdictional and financial issues,” Keefe said Monday. “If there is a forest fire and we need equipment that we don’t have, like an all-terrain pumper, but another communities does, we can borrow it and personnel to work it.” Keefe said the state law also defines liability between the host community and those providing mutual assistance for injuries to personnel or equipment damage. “It’s all spelled out in the law,” Keefe said. “The law goes into effect 30 days after the City Council President (Brian Sullivan) and Mayor (Daniel M.) Knapik sign the agreement, which should happen by the end of January.” Emergency Management Director Jim Wiggs said that the law also provides the city with a list of equipment available in other communities which have adopted the local option of the mutual aid law statewide. “The advantage is that in the event of a major emergency and we need equipment, we can get it from across the state,” Wiggs said. There is a list of equipment inventory and points of contact available to the city, much of it coordinated through the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency located in Framingham, Wiggs said. “The cost of personnel and equipment is contained in guidelines already in place under MEMA policies,” Wiggs said. “Every way I’ve looked at it, there is no downside.”
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