Adopt a fire hydrant in Summit County, Colorado

By
Real Estate Agent with Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate

Many Summit County homes have nearby fire hydrants that have been buried under piles of snow.  Our recent plentiful snows have been a boon for Buried Frisco fire hydrantskiers but make street and home maintenance difficult.   The Lake Dillon Fire Department is asking that if you have a fire hydrant near your home, you "adopt" it, and dig it out!   

Clearing around the fire hydrant will save precious time if it is needed in an emergency.  It is tough enough to fight a fire in freezing conditions, but shoveling around it to find it first makes it that much more difficult.  Notice in the photo the little marker on a metal pole that sticks up above the snow.  We routinely have those on all our fire hydrants, plus our road markers are always double the height that you might find elsewhere.  It helps when the heavy equipment is moving the snow to know where they are.  Moving snow in Frisco

 

 

The second photo was taken on Granite Street in Frisco.  When we have a lot of snow, it isn't good enough to just move it to the edges of the street. To keep the street at two lanes wide, it has to be piled high.  The town then has to come in with highloaders and trucks and move it elsewhere.  By the end of the season (if it has been a snowy one) the snow storage lots get pretty full!   When I see it snow as much as it has been lately, I wonder how the early settlers in Frisco, Breckenridge and the surrounding mountains managed with just mules and shovels.  It must have been a tough life! 

Comments (20)

Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Joanne, This is an excellent idea, I'm surprised people don't think of it on their own---if there were to be a fire this information would save lives.  Wonderful post and I hope people everywhere think to do it in their communities.
Jan 09, 2008 03:20 AM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor

Hi Carole, we have lots of second home owners here who would need to be reminded to do it when they are up here, so it is good to get the news out.  We are a little earlier than normal in the season to have this much snow too, and much of it has come in the last couple of weeks with no time between snowstorms to do any melting off. 

Jan 09, 2008 03:36 AM
Steve Scheer
Realty Oasis - Metro Brokers - Highlands Ranch, CO
Highlands Ranch Real Estate - Denver Real Estate
Joanne, you are right, with primary owners not always around, its important for anyone around to take part if they can.   Out of curiosity, so property management companies ever take this on?  
Jan 09, 2008 03:46 AM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor
HI Steve, Home Owner Associations will often do it, and the property manangement company they hire to manage the property would do it in that case.  Where I live, my Water and Sewer district does it, but it sometimes takes them a while to get around to all of them, so best if we do it ourselves if the snow is getting deep.  I am sure you have had the same issues in Denver when you have had your heavy snows in the last few years.
Jan 09, 2008 04:09 AM
Mana Tulberg
805 County Real Estate - Camarillo, CA
Real Estate Agent - Camarillo CA
Joanne, What a nice think to do, because any of us could be in distress or an emergency situation.
Jan 09, 2008 05:03 AM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor
Mana, It would be nice to do it for your neighbor too, wouldn't it!  My fire hydrant is right next to my driveway, so I am closest to it, but it does serve most of the block. 
Jan 09, 2008 05:17 AM
Dena Stevens Coriz
Rocky Mountain Realty - Canon City, CO
Putting The Real Into Realtor Since 2004

Confession time - a few years ago I was in Breck and couldn't figure out why there were long poles sticking up in the air. In my defense I was there in the summer. Bring on the blond jokes!

Jan 09, 2008 05:44 AM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor
Dena, have you noticed how long the markers with the reflectors are along the side of the road on the passes?  Rabbit Ears pass especially, between here and Steamboat Springs has some very tall markers!  I have been very glad for those a couple of times as the reflectors let you know that you are still on the road during white out conditions! 
Jan 09, 2008 07:27 AM
Dena Stevens Coriz
Rocky Mountain Realty - Canon City, CO
Putting The Real Into Realtor Since 2004
Yep, I've driven by reflector before. Not my idea of a good time.
Jan 09, 2008 08:13 AM
Chris Liverett
Associated Brokers Of Pagosa - Pagosa Springs, CO
Pagosa Springs Real Estate
OK Dena- How many blonds does it take to replace a fire hydrant marker?
Jan 09, 2008 12:33 PM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor

Chris, is it the same number of blondes as it takes to change a light bulb?

BTW, my blog post on my outside blog might interest you...I just posted it.  I will repost here in a day or so. http://www.mountain-living.com/blog/2008/01/09/weather-forecasting-in-summit-county-colorado-must-be-a-tough-job/

Jan 09, 2008 12:38 PM
Chris Liverett
Associated Brokers Of Pagosa - Pagosa Springs, CO
Pagosa Springs Real Estate
I'm not sure how many...In thought Dena might know since she's a blond (that was asking for it)!
Jan 09, 2008 01:01 PM
Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker-Owner,CRS,CDPE,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co
Hi Joanne, That's a pretty creative idea for your community. BTW, your photos are beautiful.
Jan 09, 2008 03:18 PM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor
Hi Lynda, sometimes  you have to get creative to make people want to shovel snow!  We really don't mind too much.
Jan 09, 2008 03:53 PM
Chrissy Harrison
Referral Only Realty - Longmont, CO

Great ideas Joanne! I am always amazed by the tall poles along the side of the road on Trail Ridge Road  during the summer. It makes me think of the plows who open the road every spring - must be a harrowing experience! I get dizzy and nervous driving it in the summer time!

Jan 10, 2008 03:51 AM
Dena Stevens Coriz
Rocky Mountain Realty - Canon City, CO
Putting The Real Into Realtor Since 2004
Im soooo confused.......:)
Jan 10, 2008 04:35 AM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor

Dena, I think that goes with the territory  ;)

Please note, my hair is grey, not blonde, although it might look blonde in the photo.    Hmmmmmm, I wonder if it is worse to be grey, maybe I should become a blonde?  Either way, I have a good excuse...

Jan 10, 2008 09:45 AM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor
Chrissy, Indepence Pass is the same way.  It used to scare me, but I like it any more!   I have to drive to Telluride next week and I am hoping for good weather.
Jan 10, 2008 09:47 AM
Thesa Chambers
Fred Real Estate Group - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon
fire hydrants and mail boxes - man do they become a pain in the snow - love the idea of adopting one... Hiya Joanne - how the heck are ya
Jan 18, 2008 03:23 PM
Joanne Hanson
Coldwell Banker Colorado Rockies Real Estate - Frisco, CO
Summit County, Colorado Realtor

Hi Thesa, long time, no see! 

We don't have to worry about mailboxes as they make us rent one at the post office.  No at home delivery here! 

I am slowly getting back into the blog routine again... the vacation inertia is hard to overcome!  Good to see you back here more again too.  Hope the move went well.

Jan 18, 2008 04:15 PM

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