The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee in partnership with Community Circle and Barrett Planning Group, LLC hosted a visioning session on May 18. The workshop attracted over 60 residents that participated in a community conversation to discuss ideas for Westwood’s future. The team has prepared this summary report of the May 18 forum and a preliminary vision and goals document with the input from the visioning session workshop. If you missed the workshop you may watch the highlights thanks to Westwood Media Center here. The Committee thanks the following local area businesses that generously contributed to the door prizes: Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, Not Your Average Joe’s, Bubbling Brook, Comella’s, Westwood Gardens, and the Charles River YMCA Needham.
Throughout the summer and fall 2019, the Committee will continue the dialogue and process of preparing an update to Westwood’s Comprehensive Plan. The Plan will ultimately serve as a guiding document to help set land use policies and strategies to achieve Westwood’s long-range goals over the next decade. The Committee asks all residents to stay engaged and involved by participating in the planning process. You are encouraged to stay informed by visiting the Comprehensive Plan page at: www.bit.do/WWComprehensiveplan and signing up to receive notifications for Board and Committee meetings, events, and news at: http://www.townhall.westwood.ma.us/mytown. The Committee will continue work and provide additional opportunities for discussion by presenting recommendations to the Planning Board at a series of public meetings. Thank you to everyone that took the time to take the recent survey and participated on May 18!
When to call 911
Don’t hesitate to dial 911 if:
1. A fire breaks out. Any fire — even a tiny grease fire in your kitchen — merits a 911 call. A fire can grow and spread rapidly, so call right away even if you think you can put out the flames on your own.
2. A medical emergency happens. Call 911 immediately for any life-threatening medical problem. These include chest pain, choking, difficulty speaking, drowning, numbness, poisoning, sudden intense pain, severe burns, a suicide threat and other serious medical problems, according to the American College of Emergency Physicians.
3. You witness a crime or possible crime. If you see an assault, a burglary or even a suspicious person lurking, call 911. Go with your gut feeling.
4. If you’re in or you see a car crash. Call 911, especially if someone is hurt or feels dizzy or unwell. For a fender bender where you’re 100 percent sure everyone is OK, you can call the police directly.
If you call 911
If you have to call 911, here’s what to do:
Know your location. “Where is your emergency?” is the first question dispatchers ask because location is the top piece of information they need to send help. That’s especially important if you’re calling from your cell phone because the dispatcher might not be able to pinpoint exactly where you’re calling from, according to the Federal Communications Commission. If you don’t know where you are, look for buildings, landmarks and street signs.
Answer the dispatcher’s questions. Dispatchers ask a lot of questions, but they have important reasons for each one. Your answers help the dispatcher determine what kind of help you need, and how much. Don’t worry that the questions are wasting valuable time, they have already dispatched first responders.
Follow instructions. The dispatcher is trained to help keep you safe and explain how to do first aid while help is on the way. For example, he can instruct you on how to do CPR, walk you through the Heimlich maneuver to help a choking victim or tell you how to stop bleeding.
 Please join us every Tuesday from 1-6pm in front of the Westwood Police Station!
Purchase fresh fruits, veggies, herbs, breads and more! Other Markets in the area have shut down recently due to dwindling foot traffic, and we are really hoping to keep the Westwood Farmers Market alive – we need your help! For weekly updates, follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FarmersMarketWW or on Twitter @FarmersMarketWW.
If you know of any vendors looking to participate, please contact us at:
westwoodfarmersmarket@townhall.westwood.ma.us.
See you on Tuesday!
The following sections are submissions provided by organizations within the community. If you have questions or would like to learn how to submit to the Westwood Wire, please email westwoodwire@townhall.westwood.ma.us
Summer Brings Severe Weather and Extreme Heat Hazards
June brings the start of summer and a time when people in Massachusetts are outside enjoying the beautiful weather. Summer also brings thunderstorms and lightning, extreme heat, flash flooding, and the potential for tornadoes and tropical cyclones.
MEMA’s website include safety tips for various summer hazards. MEMA encourages our partners to share these resources and tips with stakeholders to help keep residents and visitors safe before, during and after severe weather and emergencies:
Thunderstorm and Lightning Safety Tips
- https://www.mass.gov/service-details/thunderstorm-and-lightning-safety-tips
Extreme Heat Safety Tips
- https://www.mass.gov/service-details/extreme-heat-safety-tips
Flood Safety Tips
- https://www.mass.gov/service-details/flood-safety-tips
Tornado Safety Tips
- https://www.mass.gov/service-details/tornado-safety-tips
Our state and federal partners also have more seasonal safety information specifically geared towards aquatic activities. Please take the time to look through them, especially if you spend time around water during the summer.
Water Safety Tips
https://www.mass.gov/water-safety
Rip Current Safety Tips
https://www.weather.gov/safety/ripcurrent
Boat Safety Tips
https://www.mass.gov/service-details/boating-safety
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