BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Several fire departments in Western New York are calling for residents to be mindful of shoveling out snow from a fire hydrant to make it easier to respond to a fire call.
There's still a lot to be done after the snowstorm, and many may need to realize the importance of removing snow from a fire hydrant, which the Lackawanna Fire Department says can help save lives.
"It's important to help us shovel a three-foot perimeter above the hydrant to get in there if we have a fire to hook up our water supply and second-hand truck," says Lt. Shad Garner of Lackawanna Fire Department.
On Tuesday night in Depew, fire crews tried to get to a fire but had some difficulties since the fire hydrant was covered in snow.
Lieutenant Garner and others tell 7 News reporter Yoselin Person it'll take fire crews at least 45 seconds to remove the snow from the hydrant.
But they say if people are physically able to do it themselves, it'll save those extra seconds when putting out a fire.
"In an emergency, every second counts, particularly in a fire, and when we arrive, we see the hydrant right away, and it just saves us those precious seconds," says Commissioner William Renaldo of Buffalo Fire Department.
Several of these fire departments hope many understand the importance of shoveling out a fire hydrant so things can go smoothly when attending fire calls.
"Three on-duty crews are working all day to clear hydrants until the snow melts," says Lt. Garner of Lackawanna Fire Department. "So we're out there in between fire calls and EMS calls and trying to clear as much as we can."
