lO--The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, March 11, 2003 v Make sure that fire hydrants aren'9t buried in snow By STEPHANIE THIESSEN Tme is precious when fighting a tire. Every moment counts. So although covering a hydrant with snow may flot semr like a big deal, il is. Tha's the message coming from the Milton Fire Department, which wanta bo remmnd Miltonians that although spring is on ils Smuch me to La.7Z43oy! - ram Il 149" LA»Z-B' URNTURE eLLERIE1 BURIJGOPtOER IO.EW W t.533176 Don Stewart, chief tire prevenlion officer, said he was dniving around Milton recently and noticed that many fire hydrants near residents' houses were almost completely covered with snow. The same was true for many in industrnal areas. With so much snow Ihis winter, therc's no doubt about t - i's tough for the hydrants," Mr. Stewart said. -Anyone who has a hydrant, go and dig il ou," he advised. &41t makes our job eaaier. The faster we find il, the faster we gel the job done." He added that clearing hydranîs could be a malter of life or dealh. If tire crews arrive 10 batrde a tire and can't find the hydranî tu hook trucks up 10, they must either fmnd another hydrant or waaîe precious moments digging il out, Mr Stewart said. Barry Kory, training lechnician wih the Milton Fire Department, agreed. preclous. If fine is wasîed when hydrants are covered wtth snow, the building's in jeupardy." Mr. Stewart said most people who don 't clear their hydrants assume their houses wouid neyer catch tire - a dangerous assurmption. Il's usualiy contractors who are 10 biame for covering tire hydrants in mndustriai areaa, Mr. Stewart said. Sometimes it's dark and the hydranta aren'î visible, or they're biocked by mountains of snow. ThMey mighî not realize tIsat lhere's a hydrant on the other side (of the snow mounlain). If doesn'î take long before snow starts faliing off thse other side and covering tIse hydrant." Mr. Stewart said residents shouid also be aware of tIse impor- tance of making sure exhaust pipes for furnaces and hot water Public urged to stay outside vehicles while pumping gas during the winter The cold, Canadian winter causes many o Y of us 10 spend as litIle time outside as pos- 0 y sible. Even aI gas stations, tome people st ,E@ in their vehicles while tIse gas is pumping. 75 But did you know tis is dangerous and could cause a tire? bsW-h9n.'MTe Petroleum Equipmcnt Institute is ýt 9»-6PR SOLmr1lSw-5 P urging thc public 10 stay outside their vehi- LSUPERHHIOI - M s IEESSI Pnm ({UALITY MEATS & BRArmiiNAME GROCERIE dles while pumping gas, and Tim Roberts, Milton Fire Department co-ordinator, is echoing the advice. Thie problem? Stalle eicctricity. Vapours from thc gas can be igitcd by static charges gaincd whilc rc-enlcring the vehi- cie. "You minimize the chance of static building up aI Uie nozzlc if you stay out- side," Mr. Roberts said. Bob Renikes of Peîrolcum Equipment Institute has been involved in researching i50 vehicle fires caused as a resuit of peo- ple rc-entcning Uie vehicles while gas was pumping. Most of Uic cases involved womcn wear- ing rubber-soled shoes. In almosî ail cases, Uic womcn gol mnto Uicir vehîcles whîle Uic nozzlcs werc stili pumping gas. Whcn Uiey got OUI and wenî 10 pull Uic nozzie out, Uic fu-es startcd as a resuit of Italie - thc vapours werc ignitcd from tIse statie charges. Mr. Renkes said if it's absolutcly ncccssary 10 rc-enter Uic vehicle, make sure when you gel out of thc car, you close Uic door touching Uic metai before you ever pull Uic nozzle out. This is how Uic static from your body is discharged before You remove Uic nozzlc. Mr. Roberts said: "'Mei bottom uine is, how long does il take (10 pump gas)? if you undcrstand whaî could potentiaiiy happen by gctting back in for Uic sake of a couple of minutes, you reaflize il's worthwhilc to stay outside." ý 1il,] ~F1H 55Ontario St. S. (corner oi Derry Rd. & Highway 25) I9~57MILTON msU: mamy 3:00 @m. - 8:800@.a., Ina. 8:00 am. - 8:00 @.a., Ual. 8:0&a. - 8:008l. rbUe. 8:0 B.W. - 0:00 mu, FFI. :00 @a. - 8:00 @.m., 8.1t. 8:00 &m. - 8:00 F.M. Sue. 1:80 am. - :00 @. CALL YOUN CHAMPIONA m ep 905-878-2341 MEN's HOCKEY « Safe & fun league- week night games Provincial Championships - Milton Memorial Arena -intemet stats -weekly player awards team registrations only First Officially Sanctioned League in Milton Member of the Ontario Bail Hockey Association (905) 890-9090 or email: hndps(iî)à',fti'anrnl,, deIn ' I ain Cal182-8-U3o isi*w.r r .o odTeesmw nyr tabl Now Playing on Cogeco Vidéo on Demnand:- Halloween: Rosurrection AvaiL" e tre techrmiogy perrrrs. 5ome ~ressrtom apply (905) 890-9090 or email. hockevCà)atteanada-ra