CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — The onslaught of winter weather is making the job difficult for firefighters, but they want you to know there are things you can do to help them and keep your neighborhood safe.

Carmel Firefighter Tim Griffin said it is important to dig out any fire hydrants near your home to help first responders in the case of a fire.

The Carmel Fire Department put out this staged example video showing how it took their crews over a minute to access the hydrant, crucial time in the case of a real fire.

“The issue is sometimes those hydrants can get buried under the plow or just the snow,” Griffin said. “And for us, it can significantly slow us down if that hydrant is buried under snow because we have to get there and dig that out before we hook up to that hydrant.

“So, we just ask that if there’s one on your street, maybe one in front of your house, or you have a neighbor who is unable to dig that out you can dig that out and preferably three feet around. It really makes it a lot more accessible so we can hook those hoses up to it. Any slowdown that we have can really hurt our operations in getting to your house and helping you in an emergency.”

Griffin said there is not a specific law requiring homeowners to dig out hydrants, but it is strongly encouraged if it is on your lawn.

There are other safety concerns for crews, including water freezing on the ground while fighting fires in temperatures below 32 degrees.

“We make leave our hoses cracked so water is running through them kinda like you do your faucet at home so we don’t have that freeze on the ground while we’re using it,” Griffin said. “And then, as soon as we get that fire done, we try and get our firefighters out of the elements.”

Griffin said as Emergency Medical Services in Carmel, they also have to protect patients from the cold while transporting them.

“We’ll work inside of their house as long as we can, get them packaged, and then swiftly move them to our ambulance,” Griffin said. “Those are going to warm. We’ve got blankets.”

The Carmel Fire Department put out this video with tips on protecting your home in the cold. Some of the tips include opening cabinet doors to keep pipes warm, letting sinks drip, keeping supplies such as flashlights and charged phones on hand, and checking on elderly neighbors.

With conditions changing frequently, it is important to stay on top of all of these tips to keep your home and your family safe.

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