SYRACUSE -- The Syracuse Fire Department is asking residents to help them keep fire hydrants clear of snow.
The fire department says the heavy almost non-stop snowfall this winter is making it difficult for them to keep all the fire hydrants in the city clear of snow and ice.
Lt. Timothy Barclay says after a snowfall about half of the firefighters are out shoveling out fire hydrants.
"We have had some wet snow, some heavy snow. With the salt the snow melts, it gets picked up and it turns to ice so it's not the norm. We have had to use an axe to break into some of these on days like today when they are solid ice," he says.
Barclay says the fire department is responsible for 5,700 fire hydrants, and keeping them all clear can be challenging when the snow keeps falling.
"Every single one has to be done again and again. You don't know where the fire is going to be, you can't pick and choose. That is why we are asking for the public's help. If you have one in your yard that you can do it is to your benefit to keep it clear."
"We will get to every single hydrant as soon as we can, but if there is a fire during a storm it will help you and us if that hydrant is clear," he says.
