contributed by Dan Centracchio
I’ve lived in Lansing almost thirty years. Only once has someone other than me cleared snow around the fire hydrant that would protect our dozen or so homes to the next hydrants. During heavy snow falls, especially after the plows clear the streets, the hydrants often become completely buried.
I have no doubt that any fireman can tell you the nearest hydrant to most addresses in town. However, some neighborhoods don’t have the landmarks that indicate fire hydrant locations. In those areas, the engineer may have to slow his approach to your burning house to look for the hydrant. Once there, the Fire Department will have to trudge through deep snow, dragging a heavy, large-diameter hose, and dig snow by hand and foot. This eats up a lot of precious time at the most critical point of a house fire.
The hydrants you can see from your house are the ones you rely on. Do yourself a service. Clear a path from the sidewalk into the street around your hydrant. Your life may depend on it.
Local Voices is our version of “Letters to the Editor.” The opinions posted here are those of the writers, and posting them does not indicate endorsement by The Lansing Journal. We welcome input from fellow residents who have thoughtful things to say about topics that are important to our community. Send your submissions to The Lansing Journal with “Voices” in the subject line.
Related
- Lansing Fire Department reminds residents to keep hydrants clear (February 24, 2021)
- Local Voices: ‘I just love this community!’ (February 6, 2022)
