Fire department asks residents to keep fire hydrants clear of snow

Cedar Rapids residents and business owners are encouraged to use their shovels to help firefighters save precious seconds.

There are more than 6,500 fire hydrants in the city limits and some of them become packed with snow during the winter, when an increased number of house fires are usually reported. When a fire does break out, firefighters have to find and shovel out the area around fire hydrants before they are able to connect to them.

The Cedar Rapids Fire Department would like residents and business owners to “adopt a hydrant.” Three feet of clearance on all sides of a fire hydrant is ideal.

However, officials remind shovelers to be aware of vehicle traffic and to be careful not to slip into roadway. They advise against standing in the street to clear the snow around hydrants.