Salem Launches Adopt a Hydrant Program

SALEM, MA - Last year, local fire departments struggled at times with locating fire hydrants that were buried under feet of snow.

This year, Salem Mayor Kimberley Driscoll and Salem Fire Chief David Cody announced the launch of a new online tool designed to help keep fire hydrants clear from snow during winter months.

Adopt a Hydrant allows residents to claim a fire hydrant that they volunteer to clear snow from and around after winter storms.

Residents can adopt their nearby hydrant by visiting http://www.mapsonline.net/salemma/hydrant.html. Red hydrants are available for adoption and green hydrants have been adopted. To adopt an unclaimed hydrant, click the red hydrant icon in the lower right corner of the screen, and then click on the hydrant you want to adopt and enter your name in the pop-up form.

Fire hydrants are an integral part of fighting fires. The ability for fire fighters to access hydrants safely and in a timely manner is crucial to successfully fighting fires. Residents who volunteer to clear the snow from around a hydrant should shovel out all the snow between the hydrant and the street, and then shovel out at least three feet in all other directions around the hydrant.

“One lesson we learned from last winter is that we can’t do it alone. The citizens of Salem were a great help in keeping their hydrants clear. Their efforts saved valuable time in getting water to our hose lines,” said Chief Cody.

“Salem residents are great about volunteering to help their neighbors and our community. This is a very important initiative that we believe will keep our neighborhoods safer in the event of a fire,” said Mayor Driscoll.