Springfield starts to recover from tornado
Date: 6/8/2011
June 8, 2011By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD — With rumors swirling around the city in the aftermath of the tornado, The Reminder assembled the following information that should help residents in their recovery:
On June 6, Thomas Walsh, the communications officer for Mayor Domenic Sarno, said the shelter established at the MassMutual Center would be open for the next 10 days.
He noted the meal stations at the Milton Bradley School on Maple Street and Holy Cross Church on Plumtree Road will be open indefinitely.
He urged residents with any questions to call the city's 311 number for information.
Mark Dupont, spokesperson for the Springfield Roman Catholic Diocese, confirmed to The Reminder that while Cathedral High School has been condemned, the school would continue, contrary to published reports that might imply otherwise. He said an initial walk-through of the heavily damaged structure by insurance officials and engineers took place on Friday and now the work will begin to develop plans for the future.
Cathedral students will finish their school year at Elms College, while St. Michael's Academy students will be at Western New England University.
Students who were taking buses to the academy may continue to get those buses at the same pick-ups. Walkers may ride a bus from the Eddywood Street elementary school site, but must be there no later than 8:15am. School will be in session no later than June 21.
Dupont said that a search for locations for both schools to relocate in September is underway.
*** School Superintendent Dr. Alan Ingram announced a plan to deal with tornado damage. He stated, "The damage caused by the tornado at Dryden and Brookings schools is so extensive that the following contingency plan has been put in place to provide a temporary location for those schools for the rest of this school year."
Dryden students in grades kindergarten through fifth will re-locate to Harris School, 58 Hartford Terrace. School bus drop-off and pick-up times will remain the same for students who currently take the bus to Dryden. Students who currently walk to Dryden will walk to Harris School (the schools are within walking distance).
Brookings students will be re-located to Boland and Rebecca Johnson schools, 426 Armory St. and 55 Catherine St., respectively. Students in grades kindergarten through second will be re-located to Boland. All Life Skills students from Brookings will go to Boland. Life Skills students are those with severe cognitive disabilities. Students in grades three to five will go to Rebecca Johnson School.
School bus drop-off and pick-up times and locations for Brookings will remain the same for students who currently take the bus to Brookings.
For students who previously walked to Brookings, they must walk to 116 Florence St. — the JC Williams Community Center one block north of Brookings — where a shuttle bus will pick them up and drive them to their temporary school location. Students will depart the JC Williams Community Center at 8:20 a.m. At the end of the school day, walkers will be bused back at approximately 3:20 p.m. and will be able to walk home from there.
This will be a safe gathering area for students to wait for the bus in the morning. School staff will be with the students at the temporary pick-up and drop-off location at the JC Williams Community Center.
This contingency plan will bring the pre-school programs at Harris, Dryden, Brookings, Boland and Johnson schools to an end 12 days earlier than scheduled. The early closure avails the schools to accommodate the additional students (254 from Dryden and 333 from Brookings) during this time of emergency conditions.
Once school resumes, school officials will have a team of trained counselors available to students who are experiencing signs of trauma following these severe turn of events.
The school year is still scheduled to end on June 21 (June 22 for Warner and Milton Bradley and June 23 for Dryden — due to snow cancellations). The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has reported that students will not have to make up school days missed in June due to the tornado.
Azell Caavan, the school's chief communications officer, couldn't confirm reports that Brookings School has been condemned by press time.
*** State Rep. Angelo Puppolo sent out the following statement on Monday, "I wanted to announce that the Division of Insurance has set up a dedicated consumer hotline to deal with callers who have insurance issues related to the storm — the hotline is 617-521-7777.
"Consumers calling this number will speak to an experienced insurance professional who can help them with questions or problems with the claims process.
The Division of Insurance has been in regular contact with the insurers who have policies in the impacted areas to ensure that they are doing all they can do assist constituents in a timely manner. Although there have been some communication difficulties due to the infrastructure damage (phone lines and cell towers), insurance company representatives are on the streets assisting consumers. Please know that myself and the Division of Insurance will continue to closely monitor this as we move forward and respond as needed.
"I realize that this is an especially difficult time for all of us. I have been personally impacted by the storm and I have seen the damage first hand in all parts of my neighborhood and my district. I have toured damaged streets, especially the hardest hit streets, in both Wilbraham and East Forest Park as well as downtown Springfield. I have also monitored the power situation in East Longmeadow so electricity could be turned back on as soon as the power feeds were fixed in Wilbraham and Monson."
*** Springfield's Department of Parks, Facilities and Recreational Management and the Department of Public Works wants Springfield residents to know that tree and branch debris can be placed on city treebelts and along the edge of the street on residential properties and it will be picked up in the coming days.
The collection of debris should start June 7.
Residents are also being asked to separate tree debris from building materials. Movable building materials placed on treebelts and along the edge of streets will also be transported by the city. Residents are asked to place their building material debris in 35 gallon barrels or trash bags.
The city is working with Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to have members of the National Guard assist elderly and disabled residents with the clean up in affected areas.
*** Sarno has urged Springfield businesses affected by the tornadoes to contact the Office of Planning & Economic Development. A central web portal has been established on the city's Web site at
www.springfieldcityhall.com.
Businesses that have space needs are urged to contact the Economic Development Department at 787-6664.
"It is important that during this period, while we work with our federal and state partners, that we understand the immediate needs of our businesses so that as resources become available we are prepared to mobilize them to the areas hardest hit," Sarno said.
*** Residents have been asked to clear fire hydrants and storm drains.
*** Open Pantry Community Services Inc. has announced the emergency food pantry is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the agency is waiving the intake process for all tornado survivors. Special boxes will be prepared with ready to eat foods and toiletry items. The pantry is located at 2460 Main St.
The People's Center, 35 Chestnut St., provides free clothing to those in need and it will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The Loaves and Fishes Kitchen, 45 Maple St., will provide two meals a day at noon and 5 p.m. The meal program is at Christ Church Cathedral Monday through Friday, South Congregational on Saturday and Sunday at Shiloh Seventh Day Adventist Church, 797 State St.
*** Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 Wilbraham Road will be having a "Community Closet" on June 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Trinity Lutheran Church will be offering clothing (shirts, pants, shoes, jackets, etc.) at no cost to anyone affected by the recent severe weather in the area.
The Trinity Lutheran Church's "Community Closet" is conducted monthly on the second Saturday of each month at the church.
*** In response to community interest in helping the thousands of Western Massachusetts' residents affected by the tragic recent tornadoes, Big Y World Class Markets have begun a customer donation program in all of their locations.
Now through June 19, Big Y customers may donate to the American Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Donation containers are available at each register in all Big Ys throughout Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Big Y will match the first $50,000 raised by customers. Both Big Y executives, Charles L. D'Amour and his wife, Elizabeth, and Donald H. D'Amour and his wife, Michele, have also personally donated $10,000 each for a total of $20,000 to this relief effort.
*** There will be a spaghetti dinner to benefit tornado victims at the St. George Greek Cultural Center on June 13 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Sponsored by the St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, the dinner will include spaghetti, meatballs, salad, garlic bread, dessert, lemonade and coffee. Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6 to 12, and children 5 and younger are free.
If people are unable to attend, but would like to make a donation, make a check payable to "St. George Cathedral," write "Tornado Assistance" in the memo section, and send the check to St. George Cathedral, Tornado Assistance, 22 St. George Road, Springfield, MA 01104.
