Greenfield Residents Reminded To Remove Snow From Fire Hydrants

GREENFIELD, WI — Did you know that Greenfield has over 2,000 fire hydrants? According to Greenfield Fire-Rescue, if each hydrant took 15 minutes to shovel (including travel), it would take a crew over three weeks (shoveling around the clock) to clear them all.

Therefore, the agency is asking residents and their neighbors to clear their hydrants and hope they never need it.

"With cold weather forecasted, get to them soon as it will be more difficult when that snow turns to ice," Greenfield Fire-Rescue said via social media.

Keep snow and ice five feet away from hydrants, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In case of a fire, firefighters need to be able to get to the hydrants quickly to protect people and property.

The International Fire Code (IFC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Uniform Fire Codes have requirements to ensure the safety of the public and firefighters.

"Unobstructed access to fire hydrants shall be maintained at all times. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to fire protection equipment or fire hydrants," reads a portion of the International Fire Code.