ATHOL — Details still must be nailed down, but the town’s plan to ensure residents can keep themselves warm during severe cold snaps this winter is just about finalized. A proposed strategy was discussed at the Nov. 30 Board of Health meeting.
The list of proposed warming centers, which will also be used as cooling centers during summer months, was distributed to board members by Health Agent Deb Vondal. The finalized list will be included in a flyer to be distributed to the public at various locations. The information also wil be disseminated via the Athol Daily News, AOTV, and radio station WVAO.
“So,” Vondal told the board, “when the temperature falls below 20, all of these places will be contacted. There will be one flyer going out listing the sites and listing what the hours are. It will only be during regular operating hours, because there just isn’t the resources.”
“Well,” said board member Joan Hamlett, “if there’s a need for overnight, then that’s a call — that’s an emergency shelter situation. That’s different.”
“That’s totally different,” Vondal concurred. “And that’s under the fire chief.”
“There is a large day population that has no place to go,” Hamlett pointed out. “There are several group homes and apartment buildings that close during the day; the residents have to be gone during the day.”
Vondal said she is putting together a bag of items to distribute to each of the sites which contains items that will help facilities meet some of the basic needs of those taking advantage of their hospitality. In each bag, or tote, she said, “There’s a thermometer, gloves, a ‘show me’ communication tool — if someone really has communication problem they can just point to those items — medical masks for both adult and child, N95 masks, test kits, in case somebody does say, ‘I’m not feeling well,’ updated (COVID) guidance.”
Vondal said the North Quabbin Community Coalition also is putting together totes that will include basic items for hygiene. The Salvation Army, she said, is also involved in that effort.
“They’re just pulling together things for people who are more likely homeless who may be coming in off the street,” she said. “We really don’t know what will happen when we actually start opening these centers. My suggestion is that once we do it the first time that we have a meeting afterwards, a sort of after-action meeting. How many people came? Did people really take advantage? Was there something that came up that we didn’t think about?
“So, there will be a specific flyer when we’ve reached that point. And when we’ve reached that point, the flyer will go out to all of the places that are warming centers, and also to additional distribution sites so that we’re all putting out the same information,” Vondal said.
Vondal said the totes being put together by the NQCC would also include a list of resources for people with guidance on seeking assistance for food, counseling, fuel assistance, and other important resources.
On Thursday, Dec. 1, Rebecca Bialecki, vice-chair of the Select Board, held an informational meeting for those who will be manning the warming centers in order to touch on a number of priorities.
“We wanted to make sure that they understand that they aren’t expected to go above and beyond, for example, the hours that they’re open, or to have anyone disrupt their regular business,” she said. “We want folks to be respectful, to be fairly quiet, use only the space that’s allotted for them, and that space includes someplace to sit, get warm, charge their cell phone as needed.
“If your place closes at five o’clock, maybe you need to prepare people when they get there that you close at five o’clock and they’ll need to move on. We don’t have the capacity to provide full shelter,” she continued.
Bialecki said those operating a warming center need the knowledge to refer people for other needs.
“There are some people who are going to a certain space and feel comfortable, like an older person going to the senior center,” she explained. “Maybe that’s all that they need; a place where they can get a little bit warmer and then back to their house.
“Other people are clearly going to be suffering with homelessness and will need more resources. People overseeing a site need the ability to make referrals for food, food stamp applications, longer term health needs. That information will be included in a (one-page flyer) from the coalition.”
As of now, the sites participating as warming center are as follows: Athol Library, Athol Area YMCA, Athol Senior Center, Athol Corps Salvation Army, North Quabbin Community Coalition/Recovery Center, Valuing Our Children, and the North Quabbin Chamber of Commerce. Other sites/entities that will receive kits containing materials regarding local resources, hygiene products, and basic needs, in addition to the warming centers, are the Athol Fire Department, Athol Police Department, Athol Orange TV, Athol Hospital, Athol Selectboard.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com.