What You Need To Do After The Storm
 
By Chief John Cordisco
January 24, 2016
 

As the area digs out from Winter Storm Jonas, which dumped record amounts of snow, there are a few items we'd like to make our residents of Caln Township aware of:

1. Clearing Your Nearest Hydrants - Our Volunteer Firefighters can not get around to all the hydrants in Caln Township to clear access to them, so we need your help in doing so. Please clear a walkway and three foot path around your nearest fire hydrants. When a fire breaks out, we do not want to loose precious minutes clearing snow from around a fire hydrants.

2. Clearing Exhaust Pipes From Your Home - Snow needs to be cleared away from any exhaust pipes for high efficiency heaters. If these pipes become blocked, dangerous carbon monoxide will back up into your home. Carbon Monoxide is a silent and deadly killer, especially if you do not have a carbon monoxide detector in your home. The exhaust pipes for this type of heater looks like the chimney on a traditional heater. They must be clear from obstructions at all times and with drifting snow this could be an issue, even if you cleared it once. Please check your exhaust pipes regularly and make sure they are clear of any snow if you have a high efficiency heater.

3. Clearing High Pressure Regulator of Natural Gas Meter - Snow needs to be cleared away from the high pressure regulator by your natural gas meter if you have one. This regulator has a vent in the bottom of it and it too needs to be clear from snow that may have accumulated by it. So please please clear the snow away from your gas meter and high pressure regulator.

4. House Number Visible - Is your house number obscured by snow? If we can't find your house, emergency response is delayed. House numbers buried in the snow need to be visible whether it is located on your mailbox, on your house, or on a post.

5. Give Emergency Vehicle Room - With roads narrow and filled with snow, give responding emergency apparatus lots of room when they approach. Pull over and stop when emergency apparatus approaches. If there is no shoulder on the road to pull over on, stop your vehicle to allow the emergency apparatus to pass safely.

6. Use of 911 - Do not call 911 to complain about delayed or poor road plowing. Snow clearing concerns are not a 911 related emergency. This storm dumped large amounts of snow, which will take time clear so please be patient and reserve 911 for true emergencies.