| A yellow out-of-service tag hanging
from the fire hydrant at Cedar Avenue and Cherry Street concerns Kenneth Smith, as well it
should. The owner of Smiths Restaurant, a South Side institution since 1934, pumped
tens of thousands of dollars into his property a little over a year ago. The popular
eatery employs more than 30 workers.
If there is a hydrant out there, you certainly want it to work. On the other side of
the coin, this isnt something that happened overnight. Its a situation that has developed
and deteriorated over many, many years, he said.
In the same breath, Mr. Smith has nothing but high praise for the Scranton Fire
Department. He speaks from experience, after a circuit breaker box caught fire about three
weeks ago.
The response time was terrific, he said. They do it right. Everybody knows what to do,
when to do it and how to do it, he said. From what Ive seen, I think no matter what they
face they do the very best.
Judy Gatelli, president of the South Scranton Residents Association, was shocked by the
number of nonworking hydrants on a map compiled in the Times newsroom on Friday.
She put the issue in perspective:
If they (the city) dont plow the street, you have to shovel or slide around a little.
If they dont fill a pothole, you avoid it. Neither situation affects our lives, or the
lives of our children, parents or grandparents, or our homes and all that is inside them.
This affects everyone, she said.
Mrs. Gatelli said she doesnt buy the argument that alternate working hydrants can be
found at fire scenes, or water trucked to the site, if necessary.
By the time you find out which hydrant works, minutes have gone by and your house could
be gone, she said.
On top of repairing broken hydrants, she said the city should comb the streets and see
where new plugs should be added.
How many hydrants are there supposed to be for optimal safety? How far should they be
from homes? Id like to know that information, she said.
She expects neighborhood groups will band together and voice collective concerns with
City Council and Mayor Jim Connors.
The problem is serious and it should be rectified immediately, she said.
Councilman Alex Hazzouri, stopped by a reporter in a Green Ridge driveway Friday night,
said the city never should have gotten so far behind with faulty hydrants: Its the fire
chiefs responsibility. Theres no excuses, and no one else to blame.
Mr. Hazzouri who said he wasnt sure if the hydrants in his neighborhood were working
would like to see Pennsylvania-American Water Co. assume control.
Thats something weve been talking about since it was PG&W (Pennsylvania Gas &
Water Co.) Its been on the table for a long time, he said.
Mrs. Gatelli agreed.
At least the water company would be reliable. You have clean water every day in your
faucet, and if you dont, they are there in five minutes, she said.
She said Mayor Connors must provide an answer to the city.
Its ultimately the mayor, she said. A fish stinks from the head down. |
