This year, the Crookston Fire Department (CFD) is bringing back its “Adopt-A-Hydrant” program. They are asking the public to consider adopting a local neighborhood fire hydrant this winter and take responsibility for ensuring the fire hydrants aren’t buried after heavy snowfalls.
Crookston Fire Fighter Shane Heldstab talked about the importance of the program and why they are seeking the public’s help. “We’re just reaching out to the public asking for assistance because when it comes to snowfalls like the one we just got, and people are out clearing roadways and driveways, sometimes Fire Hydrants can be forgotten,” said Heldstab. “Our community does a great job of volunteering, and I’m not saying it is something that gets forgotten up here, but it certainly could because it’s not the first thing you think about.”
The program is designed for residents and businesses to help make a difference in the community. Something that may seem small could make a big difference in an emergency.
Heldstab talked about how the Fire Department is affected by a fire hydrant buried in snow. “We do things in a timely manner. If we have to shovel out a fire hydrant, that’s an extra 3-4 minutes, and in our world, with our job, that’s a really long time,” said Heldstab. “So, if businesses and individuals can volunteer some time to clear out a fire hydrant near them, it makes a huge difference to us.”
There are a couple of ways you can participate in the program. Heldstab mentioned that you certainly could clear off a fire hydrant without saying anything, but the Fire Department hopes the public will officially adopt the fire hydrants. Heldstab explained how the adoption process will work. “You can email the Crookston Fire Department at cfd@crookston.mn.us with your name, address, and what hydrant you’d like to adopt, or you can simply just call the fire hall and tell us which one you’d like to adopt,” said Heldstab. “It just helps us keep track of which ones are taken care of, and that way, we don’t have multiple people taking care of the same fire hydrant.”
One fire hydrant was adopted for this upcoming winter season before the program was even announced. The Fire Department is asking for the public to inform them of their intentions to help with the program because there is a website where the CFD can monitor which fire hydrants have been adopted.
The fire hydrants on the map are red, and once a fire hydrant has been adopted, it turns green. Heldstab says this helps prepare them in the event of an emergency, and they know if they’ll need to plan on grabbing a shovel when they arrive on the scene. “If we have an incident, and I go and look on that map, and I see green in that area, I know things are probably going to be taken care of,” said Heldstab. “I don’t have to worry about grabbing a shovel and shoveling out that area because somebody in that area shoveled out that hydrant for us. We are looking for about a three-foot path around the fire hydrant, and if there is a curb line, we appreciate it if that is shoveled out as well, so we have a walking path.”
The Fire Department also encourages the public to take ownership and name their fire hydrant. Last year not many people signed up for the program, but fire hydrants everywhere were still being cleared out. Heldstab says he believes this is because the Crookston community doesn’t want accolades for volunteering. He said they will not mention your name to the public if you’d like to remain anonymous, but the CFD would like to keep track of which fire hydrants are taken care of this year.
The CFD will also be handing out prizes to a few lucky winners who sign up for the program to encourage participation. Those interested in adopting a fire hydrant can visit the adoption website Ckn.mn/hydrant, decide which hydrant you’d like to be responsible for, and then contact the CFD at cfd@crookston.mn.us, or give them a call at 218-281-4584. You can also contact the CFD if you have any questions or need help in the adoption process. Remember that time saves lives.
