Fire captain reminds residents to keep fire hydrants clear

Sheridan Fire Rescue Captain Chad Brutlag is asking people with homes or businesses near fire hydrants to keep the hydrants cleared of ice and snow.

In an interview with Sheridan Media, Brutlag said city code requires that fire hydrants be cleared of ice and snow for at least three feet, and five feet is even better. He said five feet gives firefighters enough room to work around fire hydrants safely.

Safety, in fact, is the primary reason for keeping fire hydrants clear of obstructions, including ice and snow, he said, but the clearance also improves visibility and efficiency.

Brutlag said firefighters have maps showing locations of all of the hydrants in the city, but the exact location of a hydrant obscured by ice and snow can be hard to see, especially at night. In addition, he said, if a hydrant is buried, firefighters have a harder time digging around to find the cap where hoses must be connected for water and the valves to open access to the water.

Also, Brutlag said, Sheridan only has one fire station, and only one engine with a four-person crew initially answers a fire call. He said those may be the only people initially on the scene of a fire for up to 12 to 15 minutes. If firefighters have to dig to find where they connect a hose or a valve to turn on the water, or if a firefighter slips on ice or snow packed around a hydrant, that means a delay in performing the job they are there for – fighting the fire.

Brutlag added that winter isn’t the only time people need to make sure fire hydrants are clear of obstructions. He asked that people also make sure there are no obstructions during the rest of the year, when hydrants can become overgrown by trees, shrubs or flowers or can be obstructed by people trying to “beautify” the area around the hydrant with plants or decorative rocks.