In the event of a medical emergency, fire, safety issue or downed power lines ALWAYS call 911
Fire, State Police and Ambulance emergency calls are dispatched through the 911 system
Non-Emergency Sheriff situations call (802) 334-3333
Non-Emergency Game Warden situations call the State Police (802) 334-8881
Area Hospitals:
North Country Hospital ♦ Newport, VT ♦ (802) 334-7331
Copley Hospital ♦ Morrisville, VT ♦ (802) 888-8888
UVM Medical Center ♦ Burlington, VT ♦ (802) 847-0000
Dartmouth-Hitchcock ♦ Lebanon, NH ♦ (603) 650-5000
A few years ago the Selectboard felt it was important to have an emergency management team made up of local volunteers to be called upon in the event of a local emergency or extended power outage in Town. During its inception Phil Gonyaw served as the Chairman of this group and coordinated with the Red Cross to facilitate the necessary training for the Westfield Community Center to become a Red Cross Emergency Shelter. Many years ago, the Red Cross made larger regional shelters. The Westfield selectboard decided at that time to continue to use the Westfield Community Center as a shelter, if needed.
The Westfield Disaster Shelter Initiative (DSI), led by Emergency Management coordinator, Maurice Doyon, currently has seven volunteer members and we are looking for six or so volunteers insuring enough hands are available should the shelter need to be activated. Please contact us if you are willing to help. Residents voted to purchase a generator for the Community Center at the 2014 Town Meeting. With the installation of a generator, the Shelter can now operate during power outages. The Town Office also has a generator and would serve as the Command Center in an emergency.
Should a town resident need shelter services, contact the Town Office at (802) 744-2484 or one of the following individuals. In the event of an emergency the Selectboard would activate the Shelter.
Selectboard Chair, Jacques Couture (802) 744-2733
Selectboard Vice Chair, Richard Degre (802) 744-2427
Selectboard member, Dennis Vincent (802) 673-9357
Town Clerk, LaDonna Dunn (802) 673-9001
Emergency Management Coordinator, Maurice Doyon (802) 744-2437
Family Emergency Preparedness
The DSI Team recommends that each family have a personal plan for disaster or emergency situations. A minimum plan would include water, flashlights with spare batteries, portable storage for important documents, an evacuation plan, and a meeting place or contact person in the event family members become separated or are not together when the emergency conditions arise.
There are Emergency Preparedness Workbooks available at the Town Offices. These booklets contain a wealth of information to help prepare and protect families in the event of an emergency. Stop by the office Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to pick up a booklet. Follow the steps pertinent to your family and keep it handy along with supplies recommended in the booklet.
Here are some other helpful online resources from the State of Vermont Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security:
- Emergency Preparedness Workbooks and Videos
- Public Safety Information Tips
- Preparing for Hazards
- Power Outages
- Flood Resources: https://floodready.vermont.gov/help-after-flooding and here: https://www.vlct.org./flood-recovery
For up-to-date weather information visit the National Weather Service webpage at www.weather.gov.
Like us on Facebook at Town of Westfield, Vermont for pertinent Town updates or emergency information.
