Volunteer fire department puts hydrants up for adoption

In times of emergency, every second counts. That's why Greensburg Volunteer Fire Department is putting hydrants up for adoption.

Channel 11 found signs posted on hydrants along Pittsburgh Street asking donors to sponsor them.

"People adopting the hydrants and taking care of them, they can actually go out and shovel a 3-foot-by-3-foot area around them,” said fire Chief Tom Bell. “When we go in to connect, we want to have a little bit of room and it keeps this flag visible."

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Donors would put up a $25 fee and agree to keep the hydrant clear of any brush, debris or snow. It becomes especially crucial when mounting snow from plows can bury hydrants along the street.

Once adopted, a reflective flag gets added to the hydrant, making it visible for first responders.

"You get a house fire, the most important thing is water so we want to make sure we can identify where the hydrants are at," Bell said.

Any hydrant that doesn't have a flag still needs to be adopted. Bell says there are over 300 hydrants in the city and about 120 have been accounted for.

"We're trying to apply for a grant to get the flags themselves, but you can still adopt them,” he said. “They still need taken care of."

Anyone interested in adopting a hydrant can click here.

Cox Media Group