WESTFIELD-Powdermill Village Apartment residents impacted by an April 22 fire will be greeted by a host of city and state agency representatives on Thursday, April 26, to address basic needs.
The information session is slated from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the community center of Powdermill Village.
“Understand that these families are shocked and scared because of the change in their lives that happened in a split second,” said Mayor Brian Sullivan in a statement released April 24.
Since the fire that displaced 21 families and at least 40 people, the city’s Emergency Management Department has been coordinating logistics with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), as well as several local relief agencies.
Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan said on April 23 that the fire was caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials.
A MEMA representative will be in attendance to offer information on all aspects of assistance available through the state. State agencies that can offer assistance include the Department of Transitional Assistance, Department of Elder Affairs, Office of Refugee and Immigration, Department of Mental Health/Crisis Counseling, Public Health, and the Department of Children and Families.
“The recovery is a city process that we are supporting and assisting with the coordination of agencies,” said Christopher Besse, MEMA’s public information officer. “Additionally, because the survivors are a defined group of those in the building, we aren’t doing broad outreach like we might in other situations.”
Aid agencies and city departments also scheduled to participate in the information session include the Salvation Army, Westfield Housing Authority, Westfield Health Department, Westfield Fire Department, Westfield Police and the Red Cross.
Russian and Spanish translators will also be on-site to assist residents, according to Amber Danahey, community outreach coordinator for the city.
Since Monday morning, area residents have been dropping off food, toiletries, toys, water and other basic necessities for the displaced families. Because of the overwhelming donations of clothing in particular, there are no further clothing needs.
Phyllis Ortona, vice president of the Powdermill Village Apartments tenant board, said that donations are still being accepted at the community center which is located in the last row of the apartment complex. Backpacks and school supplies are especially needed, according to Ortona. She can be reached at (413) 977-2886 for more information on donation inquiries.
“Take a moment to be thankful for what we have,” added Sullivan. “It can change in a heartbeat.”
