ADDISON COUNTY — When our local volunteer fire department firefighters drop everything they are doing to respond to an alarm — time is everything.

The one thing they don’t need is an obstacle that will cost them valuable seconds. Getting a charged water hose line into a structure fire fast is what saves lives and property. Just a two-minute delay getting water onto the seat of the fire can be the difference between saving a home and lives, and disaster.

You know what often costs firefighters those precious two minutes, and usually more time than that? Having to shovel out a fire hydrant.

You know what we can all do to make sure that doesn’t happen? Shovel out around the hydrants in our neighborhoods after snow falls.

The department urges neighborhoods to get together and agree which household will shovel out which hydrants. Of course it’s a job for able-bodied shovelers, and everyone should be careful. Don’t over-exert yourself. And shovel from the sidewalk side of the hydrant – don’t stand in the street.

The Independent thinks this is an important public safety initiative. So when you shovel out a hydrant, take a picture and send it to us, so we may publish it in future editions. Send it to [email protected] and tell us where the hydrant is, who shoveled, and who took the picture. Let’s have some fun while we’re saving life and property.

It is a great way to thank our firefighters by making their job safer and easier.