DEAR News Of The Area,

AS a volunteer RFS member for over 30 years the recent fire at Anchors Wharf at Urunga made me think about winter and possible increase of house and structured fires during winter.

It also got me thinking about fire hydrants (in those locations that have them) and how accessible are they to fire fighters in the unfortunate event of a fire occurring.

Added to this could be locations of static water supplies where town water is not available.

A quick drive around my immediate area in Repton found that a number of the hydrant points were overgrown with grass or covered up and over by silt and debris.

In the event of an emergency this makes the job of the firefighters even more difficult.

Although I understand that Council has the ultimate responsibility to care and maintain these hydrants, clearly this has not been occurring for whatever reason.

What I am proposing is that residents who live in an area with hydrant points adopt a hydrant. By maintaining the hydrant point gives the firefighter a good chance of getting water on a fire in a timely manner.

Those properties without town water could also have a proactive response of identifying areas where there is an accessible static water supply such as dams, water courses and perhaps swimming pools.

So come on residents do your bit and clean up around hydrants and freshly paint the hydrant cover so it can be recognised easily.

It may just save your valuable home and other assets.

Regards,

Mike SUMMERILL,
Repton.