TRUCKEE, Calif. – Truckee Donner Public Utility District and Truckee Fire Protection District are again joining forces to encourage community members to help keep our community safe by adopting a fire hydrant this winter.

House fires occur at the highest rates during the winter months and there are almost 3,000 fire hydrants in TDPUD and Truckee Fire service territory. While TDPUD and Truckee Fire clear some priority hydrants on main roads and near critical infrastructure, it’s not practical or feasible to task either agency with providing the resources necessary to clear the thousands of hydrants in town following each storm. This is why TDPUD and Truckee Fire are grateful for the community members who lend a hand keeping hydrants clear.

“The safety and well-being of the residents and visitors to our community is our top priority, but when the snow accumulates, we need our community’s assistance,” said Ryan Ochoa, Truckee Fire battalion chief. “If people spend some extra time clearing snow from around hydrants near their home, the time we save on not having to shovel snow from a hydrant equates to that much smaller of a fire and more personnel available to put the fire out and protect your home.”

TDPUD and Truckee Fire are asking Truckee residents to “Adopt a Hydrant” in their neighborhood, and work with their neighbors to keep it clear of snow. The agencies recommend clearing a three-foot space around the entire hydrant, as well as clearing an access path from the hydrant to the street. This will ensure that firefighters have enough room around the hydrant to work, as well as allow them to identify and access the hydrant upon arrival. Residents should also exercise caution and use the appropriate tools when removing snow to avoid damaging the hydrant.

“We were very pleased last winter to see residents and neighbors teamed up to clear fire hydrants despite the heavy burden of snow removal we were all facing,” said Brian Wright, TDPUD general manager. “It’s easy to forget the critical firefighting infrastructure that gets buried after big storms, but the many proud posts shared on social media of cleared hydrants were great to see.”

When Truckee Fire responds to put out a house fire, they arrive with enough water to make an initial fire attack, but firefighters are quickly in need of a continuous water supply from a fire hydrant. Finding and connecting to a fire hydrant is one of the firefighters’ first priorities, but accessing them when they are buried under heavy snow can be a challenge. Firefighters might have to spend valuable time searching for and digging out a hydrant when they could be doing other important tasks to knock down a fire. When the weather is clear, take some time to locate your nearest hydrant, and do your part to keep it clear of snow and ice.

For more information on keeping your hydrants clear, visit truckeefire.org/adopt-a-hydrant.