Help First Responders Help You in an Emergency

When there is an emergency, you want police and fire fighters to be able to as quickly as possible. 

Here's two simple things you can do to help lessen the burden of the storm on first responders:

First, make sure your home address is visible from the street and cleared of any snow or ice that may be covering it. This assures that help can reach your home quickly. 

Then, if you have a fire hydrant in front of your home or on your block, remove the snow from around it. Fire officials are urging those who are able to do so, to shovel snow away from fire hydrants in case access is needed quickly.

Some other things you can do to help keep your family safe after the storm:

• Clear Snow from Furnace and Dryer Vents- Keep outside furnace, hot water and dryer vents clear of drifting snow, to prevent flue gases from backing up into the home and creating a carbon monoxide hazard.
• Clear Snow from Vehicle Tailpipes- Last winter, two children from Boston died from carbon monoxide while sitting inside running vehicles where the tailpipe was clogged with snow. Doctors from the Boston Public Health Commission created an educational video on CO poisoning that addresses this particular risk.