Local 2623 Firefighters are asking for assistance from residents to ensure that fire hydrants on their streets are shoveled so that they can be accessed by firefighters if necessary. In the event of a fire emergency, the fire hydrants are the first line of defense. It is very important that they are accessible. Should a fire occur, precious seconds could be lost if the fire hydrant is not accessible.

If you have a fire hydrant in front of your home or business, please take the time to uncover it. Residents are being asked to be mindful of the hydrants and not pile snow on or near a hydrant when clearing driveways and sidewalks. Valuable time is saved when fire crews do not have to dig out a hydrant when responding to fire calls. When a fire emergency occurs, seconds do count; the time saved by fire crews being able to have immediate access to water to fight a fire may be the difference between life and death.

In addition to this being a benefit to all parties, it is also the law!

In the Town of Poughkeepsie Town Code § 174-5 requires:

“It shall be the duty of the owner or occupant of premises in front of which or adjacent to which there is a fire hydrant to remove snow from around the hydrant for a distance of two feet and between the sidewalk or the curb and to keep the fire hydrant free from snow throughout the winter.”

Town of Poughkeepsie Town Code § 174.2 A. requires:

Each and every owner or occupant of a home, building or lot of land in the Town and along which there is a sidewalk shall keep the sidewalk free from snow and ice and shall remove or cause to be removed any and all snow from such sidewalk within four hours after any fall of snow occurring between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. or, if occurring between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., shall remove or cause the removal of the snow within six hours after the expiration of such period.

Town of Hyde Park Town Code § 90-1 A. (3) requires:

No person shall in any way or manner obstruct the use of any fire hydrant in the Town or allow any snow or ice to be thrown or piled upon or around the same or have, place or allow to be placed any material in front thereof, from the curb-line to the center of the street and to a point within five feet from either side thereof, and all snow or ice accumulating within such space shall be removed by the owner or lessee of the premises fronting the same. This section shall apply only to those fire hydrants listed in a schedule adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Hyde Park pursuant to this chapter, which schedule may be amended from time to time as deemed necessary by resolution of the Town Board after consultation with the fire departments serving the Town of Hyde Park. [Added 11-24-2003 by L.L. No. 10-2003]

Town of Hyde Park Town Code § 90-1 B. requires:

Removal time. Every owner or occupant of a house, building or lot of land as above set forth shall remove the snow and/or ice from the entire sidewalk in front of their properties and the owner or lessee of a premises fronting those fire hydrants listed in the schedule issued by the Town Board pursuant to § 90-1A(3) hereof, as such schedule may be amended from time to time, shall clear snow or ice from the curb-line to the center of the street and to a point within five feet from either side thereof within 24 hours after any fall of snow. Likewise, the Parks and Recreation Department of the Town of Hyde Park shall clear all sidewalks as is required in the previous description. [Amended 11-24-2003 by L.L. No. 10-2003]

Firefighters also recommend citizens clear snow and ice from around exit doors to ensure that an escape from a fire emergency is possible, as well as furnace vents to prevent malfunction. We thank you in advance and hope that all of our citizens have a happy and safe winter season.

Sincerely,

Your Local 2623 Firefighters