Photo Provided - Capt. Sean Donato of the Hopedale Fire Department works to clear snow from a fire hydrant Saturday in the village.

HOPEDALE — Local fire departments are reminding residents to make sure snow is removed from nearby fire hydrants so they can be accessed quickly during an emergency situation.

Many fire hydrants in the area have been buried beneath snow and ice following last week’s snowstorm. This was the situation in Hopedale, which prompted firefighters to take action Saturday by going through the village with shovels working to dig out hydrants that remained covered.

Fire Chief Mark Marchetta said they discovered a dozen or more fire hydrants that were still covered by snow over the weekend.

“We haven’t had snow like that in a while. The plow trucks come through doing their job, but as a result it will sometimes completely cover a fire hydrant to where we could drive right past it because it just looks like everything else,” he said, adding that there were several hydrants that they could only see the tops of, while others were not visible at all.

Marchetta said it is important that the fire hydrants remain clear of snow so that firefighters can easily access them in case of an emergency.

“If we need the hydrant in an emergency situation, taking time to clear snow might delay things, or not being able to locate a hydrant could be a big problem,” he said, adding that it has not been an issue in recent years due to a lack of heavy snowfall. “This is our first major snowfall in quite a while.”

He encourages able residents to help in the endeavor to ensure hydrants near their home are clear of snow and ice. Those who are unable to do so are welcome to call the fire department for assistance.

“If you can clear it, great. But if you can’t, please give us a call and we’ll come out and gladly do it. We’d rather take care of it ahead of time than during an emergency,” he said.

It is recommended to clear the hydrant by at least 3 feet on all sides so firefighters are able to work around the hydrant. It also helps to ensure there is a clear path from the hydrant to the street.

Hopedale residents needing assistance clearing a nearby hydrant can call the fire department at 740-937-2333.