LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — The Lima Fire Department is asking for help from residents and business owners as significant snowfall is forecast for the area this weekend.
Fire officials say one of the first things crews look for when responding to a fire is the location of the nearest fire hydrant. Heavy snowfall and plowed snow piles can quickly cover hydrants, making them difficult to find during emergencies and potentially delaying firefighting efforts.
The department is asking residents and property owners who live near a fire hydrant to shovel snow away from it so it remains visible and accessible.
Warren Pughsley, an inspector with the Lima Fire Department, said residents may not realize the importance of clearing hydrants.
“Residents in the city, that have a hydrant right in front of your house, you shovel your your sidewalk but you don't think to shovel around that fire hydrant because it's on grass. You know, you don't think, why would I shovel that? I'm not going to walk around it. We're going to need it. We're going to use it. So we would ask the city residents, if you have a hydrant in front of your house, please shovel the snow from around it, make sure that we can see it.”
According to the city, Lima has just over 1,300 fire hydrants throughout the community. Fire officials stress that keeping them clear could make a critical difference in an emergency.
