Reminder to clear the snow around fire hydrants
By Mike Taborski
With all the recent accumulation of snow countywide and more in the forecast, fire officials in Plumas are encouraging residents to clear snow away from their homes’ nearby fire hydrants. Every hydrant should have a 3-foot clearing around it to help fire crews locate and access it during an emergency.
Clearing the snow could save your property or lives in the event of a fire. Fire doubles in size every minute and can consume an entire room in as little as three minutes. A covered fire hydrant delays firefighting efforts.
“With all the snow we have received this year, many of Quincy’s 200 fire hydrants have been covered with snow making them invisible and unusable. If these hydrants are needed during a fire, valuable time will be lost trying to locate and dig out a hydrant which allows the fire to continue to grow while pulling our firefighters away from fire suppression and rescue operations,” Fire Chief Robbie Cassou said.
Cassou explained that CalTrans personnel are doing their best to keep state highways accessible while the county road department struggles to keep county roads open. Neither agency has the time, personnel, or equipment to clear every driveway and fire hydrant after every storm. “It’s up to all of us to help protect ourselves, families, and neighbors by taking the time to help keep our fire hydrants ready for use”, he added.
“Regardless of where you live, if you have a fire hydrant near your home or business, get in the habit of clearing snow and other obstruction throughout year. Hydrants must have at least three feet of clearance around them and should be cleared from the front of the hydrant to the street. If you don’t know where a hydrant is located contact your local water district or fire department. Also, report any damaged or leaking fire hydrants to your local water district,” Cassou said.
