The Lakewood Board of Fire Commissioners in conjunction with Fire Chief Mike D’Elia Jr. and the members of the Lakewood Fire Department, remind residents to refrain from shoveling or plowing snow on top of or in close proximity to fire hydrants.
Residents are urged to keep the fire hydrants in their neighborhood clear of snow and debris. Winter storms can often hide fire hydrants under a mountain of snow making them impossible to find quickly. Even a moderate snow can completely cover them, as they are located on the curb line where snow plows pile up the snow. Therefore, by keeping fire hydrants accessible and clear of snow, firefighters can establish a water supply expeditiously and without unnecessary delay.
Don’t we pay the water company $300.00 per hydrant for maintenance? Shouldn’t they be out there taking care of their hydrants? The water company should be audited to find out what they are doing with the maintenance charge.
The point of this press release is not to assign or place responsibility on anyone for the clearing of the hydrants. Rather, it is simply sound advice for the safety of the residents. If the FD can’t locate the hydrant and/or are delayed in getting a water supply then that puts people in danger. At that point it will not make a difference who’s responsibility it is. Demanding that someone else is responsible… maybe so, but your the one that gets hurt. Better to be safe and take a few moments to be sure the hydrants in your area are clear and visible.