Long Island launches 'hydrant heroes' contest to clear snow from fire hydrants

Long Island fire departments asked residents to clear snow around fire hydrants and are running social-media 'hydrant heroes' contests offering local prizes; officials said clear hydrants speed emergency response.

Long Island fire departments have asked residents to be "hydrant heroes" by shoveling snow away from buried fire hydrants as communities dig out. Officials say keeping hydrants accessible is important to avoid delays during emergencies. Several departments turned the safety reminder into social-media contests this week, offering prizes from local businesses. The basic rule reported by departments is to clear at least a three-foot radius, photograph the cleared hydrant and post it to the department's social-media thread or send it by direct message. Key details: - Fire departments in Bay Shore, Brookhaven, East Meadow, Huntington, Islip, Port Washington, Southold and West Islip posted similar contests on Facebook and Instagram, and Oyster Bay and Smithtown ran their own local contests. - The stated contest rules call for digging out a hydrant at least three feet all the way around, plus creating a path to the street, then sharing a photo on the department's social-media page or by direct message. - Many departments offered prizes from local restaurants, delis, bakeries and small businesses; examples cited include $50 gift cards in Oyster Bay, a beach chair and Rockfest tickets in Brookhaven, and gift cards in Smithtown and Huntington. - Suffolk County officials noted that clear hydrants help first responders locate water sources faster; the Suffolk County Water Authority said it maintains about 36,000 hydrants in its service area. - Departments reported large community response with images arriving from residents of all ages, and some departments said the contests spread after hearing about other nearby efforts. - Individual winners were named in some towns, and department leaders described the contests as both a safety reminder and a way to support local businesses. Summary: The contests aim to keep hydrants accessible to reduce delays for firefighters and to engage communities while supporting local businesses. Undetermined at this time.