Pagosa Fire Protection District is once again promoting its ‘Adopt a Fire Hydrant’ program in 2023.
The program asks volunteer residents to shovel a three-foot circle around a fire hydrant in their area, plus a path to the road, to assist the District in keeping hydrants accessible in case of structure fires.
The District’s fire trucks typically carry about 1,000 gallons of water, enough to last about five minutes when fighting a structure fire. This makes year-round access to a nearby fire hydrant crucial in an emergency. The volunteers who step up to help keep a fire hydrant free of snow are providing an important benefit to their neighborhoods.
After clearing the hydrant, participants are invited to take a picture of the hydrant and email it to pio@pagosafire.com.
A snow shovel is the recommended tool for clearing the hydrant. Snowblowers are not recommended.
Most hydrants in Pagosa Springs sport a metal flag to increase their visibility following snow events. If the flag is missing, a resident should notify the district so a replacement flag can be attached.
For more information about the ‘Adopt a Fire Hydrant’ program, contact the Pagosa Fire Protection District at 970-731-4191 and at their administrative office, 165 N. Pagosa Blvd.