HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 02-06 Buried fire hydrants worry city officials DISPATCH a
Buried fire hydrants
worrycity officials
By SCOTT CARLSON put out before the hydrant was he added:"We don't have the
Staff Writer needed. manpower to dig them out"
4 Maplewood Public Works Di- Meissner said there's still a
Buried fire hydrants,which rector Bill Bittner told the problem even when the hydrants
are the result of recent heavy Dispatch that about 20 percent are uncovered.That's because
snowfalls,are causing concern of the city's 820 hydrants were snowbanks are getting so high
for public officials throughout partially or completely buried. that firemen might drive by
the St.Paul suburban area. He said the city will take steps to hydrants,he explained.
"ANYTIME you have hy_ uncover those hydrants. In Oakdale,as some other cit-
drants buried there is a potential But like officials in other cit- les ,public officials are trying to
for a problem,"Maplewood Po- ies,Bittner said citizen help solve part of the problem by
lice Chief Dick Schaller said would ease the problem.Schaller identifying buried hydrants with
about the delay that can occur in agreed. red flag markers.Last week,
fighting fires.Oakdale Policeqt' trueproblem and we Street Foreman Dennis Johnson
s a
Chief Robert Dollerschell estimated that about 80 percent
agreed. would encourage people to sho- of the hydrants were buried.
vel them(the hydrants)out,"
"Three or four minutes lost by Schaller said. City Administrator Dennis
trying to get a hydrant can make Zylla said his city's problem
the difference in a house blaze," IN COTTAGE GROVE,Clerk- could be stemmed if the the Oak-
Dollerschell said. Administrator Carl Meissner dale Junior Volunteer fire-
said the next city newsletter will fighters carry through on their
Last week,a Maplewood fire- ask residents to help shovel out request to clean the hydrants.
fighter had to hurriedly dig out a the hydrants. "We'd pay them 25 cents a
hydrant after the department hydrant,"Zylla said of the high
received a fire call at an apart- "We haven't had many prob- school aged boys,who would use
ment house,Schaller said.For- lems because there haven't been the money for their fire fighting
tunately,he added,the fire was many fires,"Meissner said.But training.