In the seasons of extreme snow, it is critical for FIREMEN to have access to fire hydrants. If there is a FIRE HYDRANT in front or near your house, please shovel a pathway to it. The life you save may be your own or one of your family members. Seconds Do Matter.

Fire Safety is the responsibility of every member of the community. We look out for ourselves and each other too.

Make it your responsibility to know where the fire hydrants are located closest to your residence or business.

During and after heavy snow storms, snow from the roadway gets plowed to the curb and can often piles up quite high. Many homeowners experience this when their driveways get "plowed in". Fire hydrants also get "plowed in" and sometimes completely covered. Then the plowed-snow refreezes and hardens like solid ice. Please shovel at least a 2-foot wide path in to Your Fire Hydrant from the road so firefighters can have immediate access to connect their supply hoses. Please also shovel away the snow from around the sides and back of the hydrant leaving at least a 2-foot clearing around it. In the event of a fire, the firefighters need access to that hydrant fast. The main supply hose they must connect can be very large and very heavy, usually taking two firefighters to drag it into place, and connect it. They also need enough room to quickly turn on the water flow using a large, metal bar-type wrench they attach to the top of the hydrant.

• Consider the amount of time that might take you and your neighbor to shovel out a buried fire hydrant after a big snow storm or blizzard. (Maybe 15 minutes?)

• Then ask yourself if you would want to have firefighters wait for 15 minutes before attacking a fire at your home or business!

Remember, Fire Safety is everyone's responsibility. Plan ahead, live safely, work safely, and report any potentially dangerous-looking situations you notice to your local Fire District or the Police Department in advance of an emergency. You might very well prevent that emergency from ever happening.

If a fire happens, waste no time in calling 911. Always give clear, quick, and exact information and location of the fire. Stay on the line unless your safety depends on hanging up. Let the dispatcher decide when to terminate the phone call. They may need additional information for the emergency personnel. Follow any instructions you might be given. Afterward, don't  expect the dispatcher to come back and offer sociable goodbye greetings because they will have no time, as their job has just begun.