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Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 2:49 pm
by Jeff Silvey
I know a few of you folks don't live where there is snow , but one day you might.
I would like for everyone to adapt a fire hydrant to keep clean in the winter months. With the big snows we have a lot of people dont think of keep the snow away from the hydrant. When I got home this morning the hydrant was covered by the town/city people plowing snow covered the hydrant.
It really stinks when we (firefighters) can't find the hydrants when your house is on fire. I have been there getting my rear end reamed to why I didn't have water. Well it's because the snow covered the hydrant. It's even worst when someone is trapped in the house.
So if everyone would clean a path 3' all the way around the hydrant it would make all our jobs better. Thanks
Be Safe
Jeff

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:07 pm
by Barnyard
That's a good point Jeff. A lot of areas around here have a hydrant painted in the street to show where one is if it is covered. But still when the firefighters pull up they have to take time to clear the snow away.

Seconds count when a house is burning. A lot of people forget that the hydrant in their front yard is the one that might save them.

Too many people just want to point fingers when there is a disaster.

Thanks for the timely reminder.

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 6:33 pm
by Jeff D. N.E. Wis.
We live on a corner lot in town that has a hydrant. I have been clearing that hydrant for the past 30 years. I figure it it is our house that is burning I want the fire dept. to have access to as much water as possible NOW :!:

Jeff

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 9:54 pm
by beaconlight
In the country We have a 3 1/3 acre pond the fire Co draws from. Next time up I will see talk to the fire chief and see if we can put in a Hydrant that they can reach easily in the winter for it is a good 40 feet from the road and then they have to chop a hole in the ice. Glad you made me think of it Jeff.

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2009 12:26 am
by Jeff Silvey
Bill:
They call them dry hydrant. I think thats a bit far. But check with the Chief to see if their is any thing you can help with water supply. Also check with your insurance to see if you get a break on your insurance I know. You can google the info on dry hydrants.
Jeff

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Fri Jan 30, 2009 1:19 pm
by beaconlight
Did Google it and that is why I will talk to the Chief. They drew from me a couple of years ago for a barn fire. They were going to go in the high water emergency over flow area. It is soft there. I made them go in driveway, I didn't want to take a chance the truck would bog down for it is rather soft there. The driver said they were afraid to damage the driveway.

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 10:52 am
by Jeff Silvey
BTTT

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2010 10:42 pm
by philbilly
We were doing our annual fire hydrant service this past month, and located a hydrant that someone had painted black so that it was really hard to find even in the daytime. It was obvious that it was intentional because only the side seen from the street. I suspect that someone was planning an arson. The next closest hydrant was several hundred feet down the road, and completely obscured by brush. Very odd

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Thu Jan 13, 2011 12:37 pm
by Jeff Silvey
ttt
This was from a FDNY friend. This will help us all if we can keep the snow away from the hydrants.
Thanks
Be SAFE

Image

Image

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Fri Jan 14, 2011 12:53 pm
by grumpy
The closest hydrant we have here is 11 miles away but we do try to keep the ice open on a couple of ponds.

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 7:09 am
by Jeff Silvey
Well bring this ttt.
Jeff

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:08 am
by John *.?-!.* cub owner
And for the rural folks with no hydrants or public sewers like you you also need to mark or at least know where your septic tank is, so that in a fire emergency a fire truck does not drive over it and fall through.

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:18 am
by Rob in NH
there is a hrdrant in front of my parents home that i clear the snow from, also around here the firefighters will go around town to clear hydrants too which i think is pretty good .

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 10:50 am
by Denny Clayton
Good points all. Isn't it ironic though that the fire department's fellow city employees covered them up. :wink:

Re: Fire Hydrants/Snow

Posted: Tue Feb 04, 2014 9:40 pm
by farmallcub49
I have been doing this since I was 8 years old, I am now 34. My grandpa had 40 years on the local volunteer department, my dad 36, and I am in my 12th year. My dad had us do it at home and I do it at our home. The hydrant is across the street and the college never cleans it out with there fancy well heated skid loaders, but I go and use the blower each time it snows. Like Jeff, I hate to watch a home burn because the firefighters are too busy being snow movers instead.

Denny, 2 of our firefighters are city employees.