Temporary outage of EBT services expected this weekend

The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) is going through a change in its Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) vendor. As a part of this transition, there will be a temporary outage of EBT services, meaning that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) cards will not be able to be used for approximately 1.1 million Massachusetts residents for a brief period of time.

DTA anticipates this period of downtime will begin at 11 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, and end the afternoon of Sunday, April 27. DTA will notify clients via mailed notice, text message and email with details about the outage.

DTA will also share updates on the conversion process, including updates about when the system goes offline and when clients can use their EBT cards again, on its webpage and social media pages (including X, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram).

Cooley Dickinson to host blood drive

NORTHAMPTON — Adults interested in donating blood can do so at a blood drive at Cooley Dickinson Hospital on Tuesday, May 13, and Wednesday, May 14.

Cooley Dickinson is partnering with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brigham & Women’s Hospital and the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center to bring their blood mobile to Northampton. The blood mobile will be set up in front of the hospital from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, and between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14.

“Donating blood is an incredible act of generosity that saves lives,” Catherine Reed, executive director for operations at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, said in a statement. “We are profoundly grateful for our community’s continued support in providing the essential blood supply our patients depend on.”

All blood donors will receive a $10 gift card for Amazon. A photo ID is required. Donors are also advised to be well hydrated and eat before donating blood. All donor types are welcome.

To make an appointment, visit the online donor portal at tinyurl.com/CDHTuesday (for Tuesday) or tinyurl.com/CDHWednesday (for Wednesday). With donation eligibility questions, email BloodDonor@partners.org or call 617-632-3206.

Blood products collected during this drive will be used to care for patients in the Pioneer Valley and within the Mass General Brigham system.

Healey-Driscoll administration announces $3.2 million in fire safety grants

STOW — The Healey-Driscoll administration announced earlier this month that more than 300 Massachusetts fire departments will receive more than $3 million in grants to support safety equipment for firefighters and life safety education.

The awards are drawn from three grant programs coordinated by the Department of Fire Services.

The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program reimburses fire departments for purchases of turnout gear, hazardous gas meters, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) components, accountability systems, thermal imaging cameras and more. This round of grants will provide $1.63 million to fire departments in 266 communities. In many cases, the reimbursed purchases help fire departments attain compliance with Occupational Safety & Health Administration or National Fire Protection Association safety standards.

The Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) Grant Program funds firefighter-educators who deliver age-appropriate fire and life safety education to school-age children. Since the grant program’s inception in 1995, the number of Massachusetts children who die in fires has dropped to historically low levels, from two dozen or more per year to zero for nearly three consecutive years. This year’s awards will deliver more than $1.1 million to 204 fire departments.

In 2014, the Department of Fire Services launched the Senior SAFE Grant Program geared toward older adults, who face a disproportionate risk of death or serious injury in a fire. Nearly $485,000 will support alarm installation, fire safety education, fall prevention strategies and other resources delivered by 203 fire departments in partnership with local senior centers, councils on aging and other community partners.

“People aged 65 and older are at greatest risk of death or serious injury in a fire at home,” State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in a statement. “The Senior SAFE grants make a difference by sending trained firefighters to conduct home safety assessments, install or replace smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and help our seniors age in place safely and independently.”

The Franklin County and North Quabbin municipalities to receive Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants, rounded to the nearest dollar, are: Ashfield, $5,121; Athol, $9,500; Gill, $5,114; Greenfield, $4,868; Hawley, $1,798; Leverett, $2,517; New Salem, $1,575; Orange, $7,601; Petersham, $5,250; Phillipston, $2,183; Royalston, $5,248; Shelburne Falls, $3,150; Shelburne, $5,250; South Deerfield, $6,250; Sunderland, $5,674; Warwick, $1,992; Wendell, $735; and Whately, $5,250.

The Franklin County and North Quabbin municipalities to receive SAFE and/or Senior SAFE grants, rounded to the nearest dollar, are: Ashfield, $3,600 (SAFE) and $1,800 (Senior SAFE); Gill, $3,600 (SAFE); Greenfield, $5,699 (SAFE) and $2,400 (Senior SAFE); Leverett, $7,200 (SAFE) and $3,600 (Senior SAFE); New Salem, $6,839 (SAFE) and $3,545 (Senior SAFE); Orange, $4,542 (SAFE) and $1,985 (Senior SAFE); Royalston, $3,356 (SAFE) and $1,800 (Senior SAFE); Shelburne, $13,000 (SAFE) and $9,000 (Senior SAFE); South Deerfield, $3,600 (SAFE) and $1,800 (Senior SAFE); Sunderland, $3,310 (SAFE) and $1,616 (Senior SAFE); and Turners Falls, $4,700 (SAFE) and $2,200 (Senior SAFE). Leverett’s funding represents a regional award with Shutesbury, New Salem’s funding is a regional award with Wendell, and Shelburne’s award is a regional one with Shelburne Falls, Buckland, Colrain and Heath.