After responding to multiple carbon monoxide-related calls over the last few days, Parry Sound’s fire chief is asking residents to clear snow from their home’s vents and keep fire hydrants accessible.
“Everyone’s sick and tired of snow. We’ve had four carbon monoxide calls over the past weekend and two issues today (Feb. 18),” fire chief Dave Thompson told council at its last meeting on Feb. 18.
“We had (residents) that didn’t have anywhere to put their snow, and they blew it up against the side of their house, covering their gas meter and exhaust from their furnace, creating an incredibly dangerous situation for carbon monoxide poisoning. It didn’t get that far, thank goodness.”
Thompson added the fire department also responded to a call on Gibson Street, where crews found the homeowner had blown the snow from their driveway on top of the hydrant — prompting the fire department to spend more than five minutes digging it out.
“This goes beyond just not clearing a hydrant near you — this was a situation where someone actively covered a hydrant in their neighbourhood. That doesn’t only endanger their property and their lives, but it endangers their whole neighbourhood,” said Thompson.
Blocked, concealed or difficult-to-access fire hydrants can impede emergency fire response, according to the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC).
As fire trucks carry a finite amount of water, first responders locate a water supply from the nearest hydrant in case of an emergency. Hydrants covered in snow can be difficult to locate, and uncovering them can waste valuable time, according to OAFC.
“I would encourage everyone to pay attention to the hydrants near you. I’ve spoken to many house owners after an incident, and they always say, ‘I didn’t think it would ever happen to me,’” said Thompson.
“Although we’re all sick and tired of shovelling snow and having plow operators, that’s what we need to do … take the five minutes to shovel the hydrant — for your neighbourhood and the health of your community.”