With weather forecasts predicting cold that will keep the snow on the ground until, perhaps, Valentine’s Day weekend — and with a hard crust of ice having turned the snow from pretty, powdery fluff to a positive menace — we are asking residents to help out our volunteer fire departments by investigating whether their closest hydrant has either been marked with a hydrant marker or been shoveled out. And, if you are able, consider breaking out the shovel.
Precious minutes can be lost if a house is aflame and firefighters have to scramble to find hydrants and then dig them out as the flames rise.
A cruise around the Town and Village of East Hampton yesterday revealed, well, a lot of hydrants not revealed. While volunteer firefighters have done gallant and hard work to clear as many as they can, a large number of hydrants as of press time are still obscured or nearly buried by snow, and some remain completely buried under snowbanks. This is especially true near Montauk Highway, beside our Main Streets, and other wider roads where the berms created by snowplows are largest and highest.
If you are unsure where the closest hydrant is to your house, type your address into Google Maps and click on “street view” to scout for it.
If shoveling, make sure to clear enough elbow room for the use of hoses and heavy equipment, 360 degrees. Imagine men and women in bulky fire-protective gear swinging their arms to work wrenches on all sides. According to the National Fire Protection Association, it’s best to create a three-foot perimeter and an equally wide pathway to the road.
If shoveling is not in the cards and the hydrant is obscured by a snow berm or actually buried, you can use a long pole — a garden stake or even broomstick — to mark the location. Just don’t attach anything to the hydrant itself.
In the heart of Springs, thanks to the Springs Fire Department, you can see the benefit of hydrants that have been fitted with industrial hydrant markers: tall, thin steel or fiberglass rods that attach to the hydrant via either a built-in spring and bracket or a mounting band. In some municipalities in colder climes, these are attached ritually each November and removed only when spring comes. There is wisdom in that practice.
Finally, take care before leaving the house to do any hydrant-clearing yourself. Consider dragooning the closest teenager, one with a good back and strong arms, to do that work. Remember, shoveling snow can be dangerous if you have cardiac issues or compromised mobility. Do it during daylight. Safety first — even when on a mission of public safety.