With the recent fire in Tuxford that saw members of the Moose Jaw Fire Department on the scene throughout Monday night, we're being reminded to clear any snow or ice away from fire hydrants in your area.

Public Education Officer with the Fire Department Kathie Basset says while there is no law or bylaw enforcing it, it truly helps them out if an emergency were to happen.

“It’s just common sense for people if they are figuring that [hydrants are] getting covered, then go out and give them a little shovel around them, at least 3 feet around. It's easier for us to access. In an emergency situation, every second counts so if we don’t have to shovel around the hydrants. That makes our jobs a little easier.”

“Luckily we haven't had much snow in Saskatchewan, but check out your hydrants. Don't wait for the city to come and do them; they’re doing a great job with snow removal but they’re busy too. If you see that there is snow surrounding your hydrant, absolutely go out and give us a hand.”

And if you don't have a hydrant near your residence, you can always help out too by making sure any sidewalks or walkways are clear of ice and snow.

“Just make sure that your walk is clear, that there’s easy access to your home – which should be a no brainer for anybody, you have to get into your homes anyways. So just keep things clear and ice-free. Tt makes things a lot easier for us.”

Moose Jaw firefighters spent nearly all of Monday night in Tuxford battling a fire on Main Street, where the snow and cold ended up being a major hindrance.