Hydrants

If your house was on fire would you prefer the fire crews bring a fire hose to fight the fire or bring a shovel to remove snow from around the hydrant?

Adopt your neighborhood hydrant.
Adopt the hydrant in your business district.

Fire hydrants are an important tool for the firefighter to use to fight a structure fire. Searching and digging out a hydrant wasting valuable time that could be used to rescue victims and out a fire. It’s not only the responsibility of people who have a hydrant in their yard or in front of their business, it takes everyone’s efforts to keep the firefighter’s water source for their area accessible.

Take responsibility for your hydrant. During the winter months the falling snow and the snowplows can bury fire hydrants. When you shovel out your driveway, sidewalk, or mailbox take an extra minute to shovel out your fire hydrant.
A 3-foot clear space should be maintained around the circumference of a fire hydrant. This is the amount of work space the firefighters need to operate a fire hydrant while fighting a structure fire.

All year round fire hydrants must be free of obstructions. This includes shrubs, plants, garbage cans, debris, birdbaths, and any decorative yard ornaments.

It is important to know that if your neighbor’s house is on fire, the firefighters need time and water to protect your home. If you share a wall, space, building or are in close proximity to another business that has a fire, the firefighters will need all the water and time they can get to protect your businesses from heat, flames, smoke damage, and toxic gases.

Minnesota State Fire Code
Section 508

Statute 508.5.4 Obstruction. Post, fences, vehicles, growth, trash, storage and other materials or objects shall not be placed or objects shall not be placed or kept near fire hydrants, fire departments inlet connections or fire protection system control valves in a manner that would prevent such equipment or fire hydrants from being immediately discernible. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to fire protection equipment or fire hydrants.

Statute 508.5.5 Clear space around hydrants. A 3-foot (914mm) clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of a fire hydrant except as otherwise required or approved.

For more information contact the Excelsior Fire District at 952-960-1692 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

3-6-2011

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