NORWOOD — Town of Norwood officials would like to provide information on its storm recovery efforts and an update regarding Norwood Hospital.
Norwood’s Board of Selectmen approved the establishment of an emergency residential assistance program for residents who are suffering from major property damage due to Sunday’s storm at their meeting on Tuesday, July 30.
Applications will be available to fill out and submit online beginning Thursday, July 2, on the Town of Norwood website at http://www.norwoodma.gov/.
Grants will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. The grants will be given based off of two tiers: the first tier for those with 80% or less than the area household median income, at approximately $65,500, and the second tier for those with 81-150% of the area household median income.
“We’re committed to doing everything we can to assist residents in need,” General Manager Mazzucco said. “Norwood is full of resilient, compassionate people, and together, we will weather this situation and come out on the other side of this. I’d like to thank the Board of Selectmen for their fast action last night in approving this emergency grant program to start allocating immediate assistance to residents.”
Through the town’s emergency program, $180,000 in funding will be made available to those affected by the storm, and the Town is actively seeking additional resources from state and federal officials to assist the community.
Town officials are also working closely with Norwood Hospital to help the organization prepare to reopen as quickly as possible, and state officials arrived at approximately 2:20 p.m. today to tour the facility to assess the damage from the storm.
The remaining 55 patients at Norwood Hospital were evacuated Monday and moved to area hospitals. Between Sunday evening and Monday evening, more than 150 patients were moved from the hospital. No patients remain in the building and the hospital remains closed.
The patients were evacuated by the Norwood Fire Department with assistance from a number of mutual aid agencies between Sunday and Monday. The Canton, Sharon, Westwood, Walpole, Norfolk and Stoughton Fire Departments responded to the scene for a second alarm to provide additional manpower. Many agencies from the region assisted in the response, and a full list of mutual aid agencies is provided below.
“We are very thankful to all the agencies who assisted us in quickly and efficiently transporting so many patients from the hospital, as well as our police partners who helped with traffic flow and the Holbrook Regional Emergency Communications Center which played a critical part in dispatching mutual aid and providing logistical support,” Norwood Fire Chief George Morrice said. “This was a large mission and it was truly a team effort that shows the strength of the area’s mutual aid system and the immense value of these partnerships.”
A hotline has also been set up for individuals who are looking for a loved one who was a patient at Norwood Hospital and had to be evacuated. The hotline number is: 781-769-4000.
Area residents who are in medical distress must call 911 or visit an Emergency Room at an alternate hospital in the region due to the temporary closure of Norwood Hospital.
Officials remain in the process of assessing the damage caused by the flooding and Norwood Hospital is temporarily closed until further notice.
Around 6:30 p.m. Sunday evening, June 28, heavy storms and large amounts of rainfall passed through Norwood, overwhelming storm drains and resulting in flooding in the basement of Norwood Hospital. This caused damage to the building’s mechanical room and the subsequent loss of power. Approximately 20 people were evacuated from the ICU around 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening. An additional 60-70 patients were evacuated around 10 p.m. while the power outage remained unresolved, and the remaining 55 patients were evacuated Monday.
Mutual Aid Agencies
Rehab/Support Units
- Providence Canteen
- Boston A10/A11 rehab/Support Services
- Somerville Squad 1 and 2 Lighting/Generators
- Norwood Fire tent for CP
- Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council, 30 police officers
- Mansfield FC10
- Norfolk County Communications Vehicle (NCC1)
2nd Alarm to the Incident
- Canton L1
- Sharon E92
- Westwood E5
- Walpole E5
- Norfolk E2 (RIT)
- Westwood C1
- Stoughton E4
2nd Alarm to Cover
- Foxboro E21
- Dedham L1
Tech Rescue Response
- Canton C5 with trailer
- Avon Squad 3 with trailer
- Plainville pick-up with trailer
- Millis
In-District Ambulance Task Force / Norfolk County Ambulances
- Canton A2
- Sharon A2
- Sharon A1
- Westwood A2
- Foxboro E27
- Stoughton A3
- Needham A1
- Randolph A2
- Walpole A2
- Norfolk A2
- Brewster Ambulance 6BLS / 2 ALS
- Foxboro R28
- South Shore Hospital 1 ALS
- Millis A2
- Fallon P150
- Mansfield R34
- Mansfield R36
Plymouth County Task Force 2A (Assembly Point at Westgate Mall, Brockton)
- Hanson – Deputy Chief Robert O’Brien, Team Leader
- Abington
- Whitman
- Brockton
- East Bridgewater
- Hanson
- Norwell
Plymouth County Task Force 2B (Assembly Point at Rockland Park and Ride)
- Cohasset
- Hanover – Deputy Chief Jason Cavallaro, Team Leader
- Rockland
- Hingham
- Duxbury
- Kingston
- Hanover C2
- Rockland 270 – Chief Scott Duffey, new Team Leader
Additional Ambulances
- Fallon P75
- Fallon ALS
Police Departments
- Dedham
- Needham
- Sharon
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