Residents are being reminded by the Town of Westfield Fire Department to keep snow and ice out of fire hydrants so that emergency personnel can react promptly. All sides of a hydrant, not just the front, must be at least three feet free of residents. Hydrants should be visible from the road, and a clean path should be shoveled from the street to the hydrant. Additionally, any snow or ice accumulation near the nozzle caps needs to be cleared. People in the community are urged to lend a hand by helping neighbors who could be elderly or have health issues, or by removing hydrants next to their residences. It can take four to six minutes to find and excavate hidden hydrants, which causes delays in firefighting operations when time is of the essence, according to fire officials.