IS YOUR FIRE HYDRANT ACCESSIBLE?

This year’s snow and cold weather has left many Fire Hydrants in town inaccessible for the purpose they serve….   Protecting your homes and businesses in the event of a fire.  Each year we ask for your help in keeping the hydrant near you clear from snow so if it’s needed, valuable time is not lost digging out a hydrant so we can access the water needed to fight the fire.

This year the need is even greater as the cold has increased the use of wood stove, supplemental heaters, and has everyone’s heating system working at maximum levels.

Please look around your neighborhood and be sure the Fire Hydrants are shoveled out.  Just because it may not be in front of YOUR house doesn’t mean it doesn’t protect your home.  Please help out a neighbor and your neighborhood.  For those who have been diligent in cleaning out your hydrants after each storm, we thank you.

Remember that the area should be clear approx. 3 feet all around the hydrant to allow our firefighters the room needed to connect the large hose to the hydrant and to safely stand behind it while turning it on.

It’s my hope that we never have to use the hydrants in your neighborhood but in case we do we don’t want an inaccessible Fire Hydrant to be the cause of a delay in putting the fire out.

Thank you for your help.

Fire Chief Jim Baldis

The Simsbury Volunteer Fire Company