Manchester Officials Send Out Winter Mailbox, Hydrant Reminders

MANCHESTER, CT — With snow finally in the forecast, officials in Manchester Tuesday were reminding residents what to do with hydrants and plow-damaged mailboxes in winter.

Residents who have fire hydrants on or near their property should remove snow around them "as soon as possible" after a storm, per a town ordinance in Manchester. A 4-foot area should be cleared out in all directions around the hydrant and a 3-foot wide path from the street to the fire hydrant should be shoveled out.

Also be neighborly, officials said.

"If you know of a resident who has a fire hydrant on their property and is incapable of removing the snow or hasn’t cleared it, please, be a good neighbor and help protect them, yourself, and the rest of your neighbors by shoveling the hydrant out," officials said. "This good deed will assist the fire department to save valuable time and could help save a life."

Residents whose mailboxes are damaged by plows should report the damage within 72 hours to allow Manchester Department of Public Works crews to assess the damage.

Residents may submit claims of mailbox damage up to a month after the damage has been done, officials said.