Long Island fire departments take to social media for help clearing hydrants

As Long Islanders dig out this week, fire departments are asking their neighbors to be “hydrant heroes” and shovel snow from around buried fire hydrants.

Officials said keeping hydrants accessible is critical during emergencies and can spare first responders from wasting precious time to dig them out.

Many departments are putting a spin on that public service announcement, challenging residents on social media to clear around hydrants in their neighborhoods for a chance to win prizes.

“If they can’t locate the hydrant, it takes more time for the operation,” Rudy Sunderman, commissioner of the Suffolk County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services, said in an interview. “If the resident helps us shovel the hydrant, that allows for the fire department to locate the hydrant easier, and then they're able to get water on the fire.”

The rules are simple: Shovel out a fire hydrant at least 3 feet all the way around, snap a picture with it and post it under the fire department thread on Instagram or Facebook.

Many departments are offering prizes from local restaurants, delis, bakeries and other small businesses. The departments recommend shoveling at least a 3-foot radius around hydrants so firefighters can easily connect their hoses, plus a path to the street.

Tracy Zangari, an EMS captain with the Oyster Bay Fire Department, reiterated that hydrants covered in snow are going to delay the department's response in an emergency. Any resident in that department's coverage area — Oyster Bay Cove, Cove Neck, Laurel Hollow and Mill Neck — can post a photo of the cleared hydrant in the department's social media comment section by noon Thursday for a chance to win one of two $50 gift cards to Coach Meeting House, a restaurant on Mill River Road. Photos also can be sent to the department's official Facebook and Instagram accounts by direct message, Zangari said.

A fast-growing trend

Fire departments in Bay Shore, Brookhaven, East Meadow, Huntington, Islip, Port Washington, Southold and West Islip posted similar contests on social media this week. Images are flooding in as residents of all ages join in.

Brookhaven First Assistant Chief Hudson Darrow said his department heard about other fire companies running contests and started their own. “It just took off from there,” he said.

The department is offering a beach chair, a Yeti bag and tickets to its annual Rockfest concert this summer, Darrow said. Hydrants should be dug out in both the front and back so firefighters can access them from both directions, he said, adding that firefighters open and close hydrants from behind as a safety precaution.

“Most people ... they don’t think about it. They don’t realize it until they have a problem in front of their house,” Darrow said.

Smithtown’s contest ended Wednesday night; prizes included gift cards to Grafton Street Irish Pub, Alpine Pastry Shoppe, JBBQ and Nino’s Delicatessen.

'This could save our lives'

The Huntington Fire Department plans to reward children who helped with gift cards to local ice cream shops, according to Third Deputy Chief Connor Riggs.

“We figured this was a little fun way to get the community involved, give a little incentive to get out there and clear fire hydrants even if it wasn’t on their property,” Riggs said in an interview Tuesday.

If a hydrant is on your property, "it’s not just your fire hydrant. It could be the only one on your block that is responsible for taking care of the whole block,” he said, urging neighbors to come together.

Jonathan Naborre, 14, is among the winners who were set to claim a prize in Huntington on Wednesday night, said his mother, Wendy Naborre.

Wendy Naborre said it was fun to see photos of everyone pitching in, and they also served as a potent safety reminder. “If it’s an emergency, this could save our house. This could save our lives,” she said.

The Suffolk County Water Authority maintains 36,000 hydrants in its service area, a spokesman said Wednesday. Additional private hydrants and public water districts mean there are likely thousands more countywide.

Sunderman applauded the social media effort for its public safety benefits and its boost to local businesses. But contests or not, he said, it comes down to being a good citizen.

“It’s protecting your home, protecting your neighbor's home, and it’s protecting your community,” Sunderman said.

Newsday's Carl MacGowan and Joseph Ostapiuk contributed to this story.