KENT, Ohio — Kent State University students and volunteers paid it forward Friday afternoon, joining their local firefighters to help shovel out fire hydrants covered in snow.
About a dozen students from Kent State’s Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and Alpha Phi Omega, a co-ed fraternity, Kent firefighters and other volunteers took part in the “shovel challenge.”
The students were divided into teams assigned to different quadrants of the city to locate and clear fire hydrants surrounded by snow.
The primary reason for clearing the snow is not out of concern of water freezing, but access. Multiple snowfalls can compact snow around a hydrant and result in firefighters using up valuable time to clear one, which has been the case with several recent fires in our region.
Lt. James Samels with the Kent Fire Department explained the fire hydrants are dry at street level. He explained the valve is actually located approximately four feet below ground, which is below the frost line. Therefore, the water in the lines should not freeze.
Local fire departments, as well as WKYC Channel 3, encourage Northeast Ohio residents to keep fire hydrants in their neighborhoods clear of snow and other obstructions.
If you are out clearing one, snap a photo and tweet it using the hashtag #ShovelChallenge.