Rochester, MN Fire Department Needs Your Help Shoveling Right Now

Nothing like starting the season of "winter" with an epic dumping of snow over Southeast Minnesota. If you put those shovels and snowblowers away, there is a chance I'm going to need you to pull those out for about 5 more minutes. Here's why...

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Urgent Request To Pull Those Shovels Back Out In Southeast Minnesota

Last week, I was walking outside and enjoying a few sunny moments walking around downtown Rochester. Today, I was hoping I wouldn't fall flat on my face as I had to walk on icy sidewalks on 1st Avenue. While it isn't officially "winter" on the calendar, the cold temps and snow are making it look a lot like Christmas right now.

I had to drive briefly on Saturday, and even my large SUV, which is built for this type of weather, was sliding on 37th Street in Rochester. I almost got hit twice by another person on the road who almost did a full 360 in front of me near Purple Goat. When I heard that the storm over the Thanksgiving weekend caused over 400 crashes throughout the state of Minnesota, I wasn't shocked at all.

According to KROC-AM, the massive amount of snow that dropped in Rochester over the Thanksgiving weekend broke a record. The record that had been held for a few decades was 3.8 inches of snow on November 29, 1988. According to the National Weather Service, the new record that now has to be beaten is 7.6 inches of snow, which fell on November 29th, 2025.

Neighbors were helping neighbors on Sunday, shoveling, snowblowing, and clearing areas to make them safer for all. However, according to the Rochester Fire Department, there is one more spot that needs your attention.

Well, winter is here. When seconds count, we need all the help we can get. Thanks in advance for keeping your fire hydrants clear and easily accessible. - Rochester, MN Fire Department Facebook Page

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How Much Snow Needs to Be Removed From Fire Hydrants in Minnesota?

Take a moment today and check the fire hydrants on your property and in your neighborhood.

Photo by Seiya Maeda on Unsplash

As you shovel, digging out three feet in all directions is important. This allows the firefighters easy access and helps them find the fire hydrants easily in an emergency.

Those seconds that you are giving back to the firefighters mean seconds to saving lives and property.

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Gallery Credit: Jessica On The Radio