Fire Hydrant Clearing

Clearing snow from around fire hydrants:

Winter weather can create fire safety hazards, such as ice or heavy snowfall that can obstruct fire hydrants. You can help reduce the risk by keeping fire hydrants accessible and clear of ice and snow. If there is a fire hydrant near your home, you can help clear snow or ice at least three feet from around the hydrant. This is a great way to ensure it is always clear during a snow event. We suggest clearing a path from the sidewalk/curb to the hydrant, so the hydrant is visible to firefighters from the road.

Why it is important to keep hydrants clear:

In the event of an emergency, crews can find and access the hydrant with the greatest possible speed. Those extra few seconds can make a major difference in an emergency. Fire trucks carry limited water, so one of the first tasks upon arrival is to locate the nearest fire hydrant for water. Hydrants covered with snow can be difficult to locate and uncovering them can use valuable time. 

General Hydrant Clearance:

The Town of Port Hawkesbury Water Utility Rules and Regulations requires that fire hydrants be kept accessible at all times. Any fence, vehicle, vegetation, garbage box, etc., or any other materials that would obstruct the hydrant and hinder or prevent its immediate use is not permitted. Fire hydrants are normally cleared by heavy equipment after a winter event, if your garbage box is too close to a fire hydrant, it may be susceptible to damage at your own expense.