Fire officials ask for help clearing hydrants

While warmer temperatures are melting away some of the snow dropped on Iowa this past weekend, there are still plenty of piles remaining. Fire officials are asking you to be sure there’s not a fire hydrant under one of the piles. Lieutenant Linda Frangenberg of the Des Moines Fire Department says the capital city is a good example of what happens when it snows.She says many of the hydrants are barely visible, and once firefighters find them, it’s hard to hook up a line if they’re buried in the snow. Frangenberg says clearing snow away from fire hydrants can save valuable minutes in an emergency.She says it’s easier to spot the hydrants and get the water flowing if there’s a fire. She says it only takes a few minutes to do the job. She says just clear a few feet around each hydrant. Frangenberg says most fire departments send firefighters into the neighborhood around their stations when they have time to check to see if hydrants are clear. But, she says when they’re busy, they depend on residents to help out.