If there is a fire

[jay]

I finally found a fire hydrant that was cleared of snow by the resident.

[yfdgricker]

I remember back in my younger days, the Austintown Fire Department had an adopt a fire hydrant program. At one of their safety days, you signed you name in a book that essenially had the location of every fire hydrant in the township. You signed next to the ones you wanted to adopt. They gave you a certificate and you 'adopted' the hydrant. During the winter, if the snow was heavy, you went to your adopted hydrant and cleared the snow around it so if there was a fire, the fire department could get to it. Mine was at the corner 5 houses down the street. I would take my shovel and make sure all the snow was removed from around it. I still think that is one of the coolest programs I had ever seen. I only remember them doing it for a year or two. I think I still have the certificate in my fire collection somewhere.

I've adopted a new hydrant since those days, it's the one right in front of my house. I shovel a path to it from the street and make sure that at least a shovel and a half width is dug out. I pretty much dig down to the grass. That gives the FF a way to get to the hydrant and to get the side hose caps off and the hose attached.

I don't think the FD has any guidlines for removing snow around hydrants. 

Trucks only carry a certain amount of water. Even if you have 2 firefighters with shovels digging to get to the hydrant, that's at least 5 minutes too much when someone's house is burning! Plus you have to get the covers off which may or may not be iced up. Once you do get them off (hopefully you didn't strip them because then the hose won't thread right) you have to open the hydrant (which may or may not be frozen). If the hydrant is frozen, you have to take the hydrant thawer (a blow torch and an LPG BBQ gas tank) and heat up the hydrant so you can get the water thats liquified below ground. Meanwhile you have firefighters inside the house or structure trying to get water on the fire and extinguish it. Days like that, you are glad you have 3 engines and a rescue truck with water. It's not much but you hope it's enought to either extinguish the fire or provide enough water until you can get the hydrant flowing.

We won't even talk about the ice and task associated with disconnecting the hoses and the hydrant after the fire is over!

[jay]

As I traveled today, I noticed that almost every fire hydrant in Youngstown was still surrounded by snow.  Why won't people do their civic duty by clearing the snow from the hydrants?

Question
How much snow should be removed for the hydrant to be accessable to the firemen?  Does the fire department have guidelines?

[jay]

If there is a fire in your neighborhood, I hope the fire department brings a shovel.  Apparently residents of Youngstown don't own one.