Making sure the fire hydrant nearest your home is clear of snow can make all the difference when it comes to protecting your property from a potentially devastating house fire.
This time of year, hydrants can become buried and hidden under the snow, and when fire fighters are responding to an emergency, they can lose precious time digging for a hydrant.
Fire Marshal James Kostuck says it can take 5 to 7 minutes for a house to be engulfed in flames, so if you make sure that they can easily see reach hydrants, you’re helping yourself as well.
City bylaws also say that any adjacent households or businesses are responsible for the task, and can be fined for not taking care of it.
Any fire hydrants that have been accidentally covered during street clearing can be reported to the city of Grande Prairie.
Photo courtesy Facebook/Grande Prairie Fire Department