Andover, other metro cities depend on residents to shovel out fire hydrants buried in the snow
ANDOVER, Minn. – In order for firefighters to do their jobs this winter, they need your help.
Fire hydrants across the state are buried under feet of snow from last week's storm.
City public works departments do try to clear hydrants as much as they can, but truly depend on homeowners to be responsible for hydrants nearby.
"Every year they've done an outstanding job of keeping it clear," said Kim Gale, who lives in an Andover neighborhood near the high school.
Gale says she has peace of mind knowing that firefighters will be able to access the hydrant across the street from her home in an emergency, after a neighbor cleared the snow around it.
"It also helps because there's a bus stop right there, so then the kids can congregate right there without being in the snow and they're off the street," Gale said.
Andover fire and public works departments say it should be a common practice to shovel around nearby hydrants each snowfall.
"You'll be really thankful if there's ever an emergency, the time that it saves the firefighters," Gale said.
When hydrants are buried in the snow, firefighters are able to find them because each one has a tall, red flag attached to it. These flags are on every hydrant in the city of Andover and on other hydrants in cities across the metro.
"It's been multiple times of my 30-some years that hydrants have been buried and our delay of providing service is us spending the time to clear the fire hydrants," said Dennis Jones, the city of Andover's fire chief and emergency management director.
Chief Jones suggests homeowners "adopt" hydrants in their neighborhoods to maintain during the winter. He says snow should be cleared at least 3 feet around each hydrant.
"It gives the firefighters ample opportunity to work it by connecting hoses and other appliances," Jones said.
