Tomorrow, when removing snow from your sidewalk and driveway, please take a few minutes to clean the snow from around the fire hydrant in front of your home or business.
The hydrants are used by the Naugatuck Fire Department to protect you and your property.
There are about 500 fire hydrants in Naugatuck, and while we will have a crew of firefighters removing the snow, they cannot clean all of them in a timely manner. It typically takes us a week to shovel the snow from all the hydrants in town.
One scenario that we have discussed, and hope to never encounter, is a fire in a building with the on scene firefighters shoveling snow from a hydrant while the building burns.
The fire department needs a clear space out to the street in front of a hydrant to connect a large valve and a 4" diameter water supply hose and at least 3 feet behind the hydrant for a fire fighter to open the hydrant valve.
Fires need three things to occur: fuel, heat, and oxygen; we call this the fire triangle: remove one leg of the triangle and the fire goes out.
Fires are also controlled and extinguished by three things: people, equipment, and water. Working together they can remove one or more parts of the fire triangle.
A staffed and equipped fire department cannot fight a fire if they do not have access to water.
In other words, the rapid and efficient application of water on a fire is the best way to reduce property loss, personal injury, or death.
Become a hydrant hero and help something that may help you.
