Algonquin Fire Protection District Seeks Public Assistance Clearing Hydrants

Press release from the Algonquin-Lake of the Hills Fire Protection District:

The Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District would like to ask residents to keep the fire hydrants in their neighborhoods clear of snow.

Tomorrow’s predicted snowfall, coupled with last weekend’s snow, and subsequent snowplowing may have left fire hydrants barely visible or completely buried in snow banks. Snow that has been plowed onto fire hydrants freezes over and makes finding and accessing them extremely difficult.

“When the fire department needs to retrieve water from a hydrant to put out a fire, precious minutes are lost if fire crews must first dig out a buried hydrant,” noted Deputy John Knebl. “Assistance from residents in keeping the area all the way around fire hydrants clear of snow allow crews room to work, and is greatly appreciated. All three ports on a hydrant need to be easily assessable with room for firefighters to gain access and attach their hoses.”

DC Knebl suggested not only maintaining hydrants on a homeowners’ property, but also clearing the hydrants of neighbors who might not be able to perform the task themselves.

Throughout the past few days’ fire district crews as well as crews from the Village of Algonquin and Lake in the Hills have been working diligently to clear hydrants.

This press release was produced by the Algonquin-Lake of the Hills Fire Protection District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.