Adopt a Fire Hydrant by Your Home...
Do you know that it can take as much as 10 minutes or more to clear a fire hydrant by a fireman is full gear before he/she is able to connect the hoses that would provide water to extinguish a fire? In a year when we get snowfall after snowfall, the piles of snow street side get bigger and bigger and often freeze over, making that 10 minute number on the low side.
That may not seem like a long time but in fire fighting terms it can be property as well as life saving time. A fire can double in intensity every 30 seconds. So in that 10 minutes of time a fire in yours or your neighbor’s home can get 20 times bigger before we can put water onto the fire.
Would you help us save property and possibly lives in your neighborhood? The RVFD and the Fire Prevention Bureau are looking for residents who live near fire hydrants to “Adopt Fire Hydrant” during the winter months. Adopting a fire hydrant is an appreciated responsibility by not only the fire department but also your neighbors.
The adoption is simple. After any snowfall, clean an area one foot around the hydrant of debris and snow for a clear and accessible access from the street. In an emergency this WILL make a difference.
We hope everyone in River Vale can pitch in!