Boy Scout Troop 7 shovels out fire hydrants for a good cause

It gets very snowy in the Northland, to say the least. However, did you ever think about how that affects the first responders? More specifically firefighters? Well the truth is, it is difficult to get to a fire hydrant once it is pelted in snow. That’s where Boy Scout Troop 7 comes in. For their annual community service project they shovel out hydrants in the City of Rice Lake and beyond.

“I live out here and I’m driving around and these fire hydrants are all buried in the snow. And I thought, you know, if there was a fire at my house, it would take the firefighters an extra ten or 15 minutes to dig this thing out. That could be the difference between saving my house or saving a life. And so it’s important to keep fire hydrants clear because it gives the firefighters that much more time to fight the fire versus digging out the fire hydrant,” says Patrick Sirois, Scoutmaster of Troop 7.

Volunteer work in the community is a big part of boy scouts and is a huge reason why Sirois is so proud of his troop and their eagerness to serve their community.

“It gives me a sense of pride, knowing that my boys come out and when I ask, hey, we need to help out the community, I get about 20 kids here today and a handful of adults. It’s a very good feeling knowing that they’re ready to step up when need be,” continues Sirois.

Troop 7 shoveled out approximately 80 fire hydrants in the City of Rice Lake today. Sirois urges everyone to help out and get involved.

“I put a little challenge out to our local scouts to go ahead and do this for their community and for residents to just, you know, if you got a fire hydrant at the end of your driveway or near your house, keep it cleared out, it really helps,” finishes Sirois.