MADISON, Wis. — First responders and plumbers across Madison have been busy responding to calls about burst pipes and water leaks following a winter storm that brought bitter cold to the area.
In the past six days, the Madison Fire Department said it responded to 32 leaks at homes, businesses and buildings across the city. Many of those calls came after temperatures began to warm up and ice began to thaw.
“I do not recall this level of volume for this type of call in the wintertime,” fire department public information officer Cynthia Schuster said, “in my seven years, seven winters with the Madison Fire Department, this seems like a high number.”
In some cases, residents didn’t have renter’s insurance, leaving them with a messy cleanup and a big bill.
“We welcome any collaborations and partnerships that would make this sort of resource available in those emergencies where the Red Cross can’t assist,” Schuster said. “In these situations, the safety net around us is very thin, and the best thing you can do is find yourself some renters insurance.”
While it would have been difficult to prevent many of the calls firefighters responded to, the department said keeping thermostats set to at least 55 degrees, turning off water supplies and draining pipes if leaving home for long periods, opening cabinet doors under sinks to allow warmer water to flow around pipes, and replacing thermostat batteries can help others avoid similar frustration.
“We’ve had polar vortex, you know what I mean? So I don’t know what is different about this year,” Schuster said.
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