In the event of a fire emergency, could firefighters find the hydrant near your home? Many fire hydrants near homes and businesses get buried under a snow pile in winter months and get lost in a jungle of vegetation in the summer.
Finding the closest fire hydrant and being able to connect fire hoses is critical during an actual fire. Fire hydrants supply the water necessary to extinguish fires in homes and businesses, and if one cannot be located and accessed for use, it could delay putting out the fire.
Clearing a three-foot area around the hydrant in your yard or your neighbor’s yard could be life-saving. The few minutes that it takes to do this could truly make the difference between life and death.
Encouraging your family, friends and neighbors to “adopt” a fire hydrant near their home — to keep snow shoveled away from it during the winter and trim the plant growth in the summertime. This will ensure that hydrants are visible and will greatly speed the response time in case of an emergency.
With several hundred fire hydrants within the town of Cicero and mutual aid fire districts, it makes it nearly impossible for the fire departments to make sure the snow/vegetation is cleared from around each fire hydrant.
Residents are reminded that you should not block a fire hydrant by parking a vehicle next to it. Fire hydrants require at least a minimum of 15-foot clearance in each direction for access in the event of an emergency.
In the event you find a fire hydrant that is leaking or damaged, you should contact the Onondaga County Water Authority (OCWA) at 455-7061 to report the problem.
The “Adopt a Fire Hydrant” is a volunteer program; there is no need to contact the Cicero Fire Department. Your help is greatly appreciated year-round.
In the event you should have a question or are unable to clear the snow or vegetation from around your nearest fire hydrant, please feel free to contact Station No. 1 at 699-7721.
