Boston Fire Recruits Dig Out Hydrants

February 12, 2013

In this photo posted on Twitter by the Boston Fire Department, recruits dig out a snow-buried fire hydrant. (Boston Fire Department)

Boston is putting its fire department recruits to work making the city safer after the winter storm that swept through the city Friday and Saturday.

The city on Tuesday deployed more than 50 recruits from the firefighting academy across the city to dig out fire hydrants still buried under massive snowdrifts.

The Boston Fire Department posted this photo on Twitter on Tuesday morning. More than 50 recruits will dig out fire hydrants across the city. (Boston Fire Department) — In this photo tweeted by the Boston Fire Department Tuesday, recruits prepare to shovel out the city's hydrants. (Boston Fire Department)

They were dispatched in teams of 10 to East Boston, Roxbury, Allston, and Charlestown following an inspirational speech from Commissioner Roderick Fraser. They will move to other parts of the city as needed.

Fraser reminded the recruits that their duties involve more than putting out fires, and they serve the citizens of Boston.

The city has about 13,000 hydrants.

Department spokesman Steve MacDonald says the recruits will probably be excused from their daily two-mile run.

With reporting from the Associated Press and the WBUR Newsroom

This program aired on February 12, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.