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City: Clear snow from hydrants

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz The tip of a fire hydrant is seen buried in snow in Alpena on Friday. Residents in Alpena are being asked to clear out snow around fire hydrants and to have a clear path from the road to the hydrant. If firefighters need to shovel out a hydrant, it can slow firefighting and rescue efforts during an emergency.

ALPENA –During a fire, only a few minutes can be the difference between someone losing their home or firefighters being able to save the structure and any people who may be inside.

Unfortunately, after large snowfall events such as the one Michigan and much of the Midwest saw this week, firefighting crews often have to battle more than the blaze.

They also have to find and clear snow away from hydants that are buried in drifts and piles. That slows firefighting efforts.

The Alpena Fire Department is asking residents to help them remove snow from around the hydrants in front of their homes, so first-responders have easy access to them and can focus on rescue and fire suppression efforts instead of removing snow.

Alpena Fire’s Community Risk Reduction Capt. Andy Marceau said firefighters appreciate it when residents shoveling or snowblowing take a few extra moments to clear a path from the street to the hydrant. He said taking a few extra minutes to make the water accessible now could save the life of a loved one or neighbor later.

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz This hydrant seen Friday in Alpena shows how firefighters would like residents to clear the snow from any hydrants in their yards.

“By the time we arrive, clear them out, connect the hose and get water, there can be a significant impact to our operations and the outcome of the emergency,” Marceau said. “It also takes people away from doing other important things at the scene. The quicker we can connect to a hydrant, the quicker we can do our other activity.”

Marceau said the city’s pump truck is able to provide water to fight a fire, but it is very limited in the amount of water it can carry and crews need to have hydrants ready to connect to.

“Our pumper holds between 550 and 700 gallons, and, if we are running it wide open, that water only lasts about three minutes,” he said. “That’s not a lot of time, so it is important that we have access to the water in the hydrants.”

When the city gets a large amount of snow, such as the nearly a foot that fell in Monday’s snowstorm, hydants can be covered all together and hard to locate. Marceau said the department has maps showing where hydants are, but it still costs precious time to find them and then clear the snow from in front or around them.

Marceau said it also important that people keep snow and ice clear of entrances to their homes or business, because that, too, can sometimes slow first-responders from getting into a structure. He said spreading salt to remove ice from areas where rescuers may need to work is also helpful.

“By doing these little things, which only take a few minutes, it can make a big difference if there is an emergency,” he said. “The more time we have to focus on the fire or emergency itself and not have to worry about having to deal with snow, the better chance we can save someone’s house or life.”

For ore information contact Marceau at 989-354-1850, ext. 1859.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpeanews.com.

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