TRENTON, Ohio – The winter storm has emergency crews getting ready for the worst. Firefighters say the snowy and icy conditions could add to their response times.
Trenton Fire is a small department with a handful of firefighters. When the added ice and snow comes, the fire chief is concerned it will impact how long it will take for them to get to you.
Fire chief Darrell Yater says last month alone they had a record number of medical calls. He says there were 140 medical calls that he says were mainly COVID-related.
That’s why, with the snow and ice on the way, his team is getting prepared in case there are even more calls.
They’ve got chains they can use on the tires in the snow, salt on the trucks, and extra tools in case they have to break through any ice on hydrants.
He says they’ve added an extra firefighter to help as well, but Yater says the most important thing is that they can safely get trucks down the street. He says they have a plan for that too.
“Our public works is a good group of guys, they also have radios and they can monitor what we’re doing, and if they hear us being dispatched to a squad call or a fire call, they will send a plow truck ahead of us to try to clear the path so we can get there,” said Yater.
The chief says all of those things are going to make it take longer for them to get to you. Yater says he’s expecting it to take at least two to three extra minutes.
Firefighters say there is something you can do to help make those response times faster. They suggest keeping your driveways, sidewalks, and any hydrants near you clear, in case they have to get to you in an emergency.
