December 23, 2008

Adopt a fire hydrant, asks fire and rescue


     In light of recent snowfall, Personnel and Staff from Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue are urging community members to adopt a hydrant.
     With the heavy snowfall in the area, and with City of The Dalles personnel plowing streets and residents in the area digging out, hydrants are becoming increasingly hard to find.
     In a fire situation, time is of the essence and having to take the time to locate and dig out a hydrant for an effective water supply for firefighting purposes could mean the difference in quickly controlling a fire versus the total destruction of a home or business.
     Help Mid-Columbia Fire & Rescue avoid this potential disaster. If you know you have a hydrant on your corner and you have the ability to do so, please identify and clear the hydrant of ice and snow. In the event of an emergency, this will save your firefighters valuable time in locating and hooking up to the hydrant if they don’t have to first dig it out.
     Despite their size, fire engines can only carry a relatively small amount of water, certainly far less water than would be necessary to tackle a residential or commercial fire.
     The amount of water on an engine only buys time until a sustained water supply from a hydrant can be accessed, just enough for an initial attack or to provide protection for firefighters as they search a property for people.
     Needless to say, the time it takes to locate and remove ice and snow from around a hydrant to gain access can slow the fire-fighting process considerably.
     “As a general rule, an unattended fire doubles in size every minute,” said Division Chief Dan Hammel. “Every minute that goes by could mean the difference between life and death.”
     When digging out hydrants, make sure you clear 3 feet of snow all around the hydrant to facilitate our access. In addition, clear the ice and snow so that the top of the hydrant is clearly visible from the street. If you can’t see it from the road, a firefighter isn’t going to be able to spot it easily when the snow is blowing and it is dark.