Capital City Fire and Rescue is asking for the public’s help in clearing snow from around fire hydrants.
Deputy Fire Marshal Sven Pearson says it’s next to impossible to keep the city’s 2000-plus hydrants accessible year round, especially if firefighters have to do the work themselves.
“When you drive around you’ll notice that often people start putting big snow berms in front of them or, even the big plow trucks when they come by, kind of obscure the hydrant,” says Pearson. “And I know the crews and folks around the city have been working really hard on trying to keep these clear. But there’s always ones that go unnoticed.”
Pearson says residents can help by checking the hydrants in their neighborhood when they’re shoveling driveways or sidewalks. He says it’s a good project for Boy or Girl Scouts, a church group, or even businesses – adding that a three foot area around the hydrant is ideal.
Pearson says fire engines carry enough water for the first couple minutes of firefighting. But if a hydrant is buried by snow, valuable time must be spent digging it out. And when it comes to fighting fires, every second counts.
