Local emergency responders worked around the clock during last weekend’s blizzard conditions, dealing with obstacles ranging from snow-clogged hydrants to ice-covered fire scenes.

A fire at the Sunoco station in Penn Forest Plaza on Route 903 early Monday highlighted the challenges emergency crews face during severe weather. Jim Thorpe firefighters responded to a mutual aid call for the incident at about 2 a.m. but were recalled before arrival.

According to a Facebook post from the station Monday afternoon, everyone was safe. The station announced it would be closed for several days while assessing damage.

Jim Thorpe Fire Commissioner Charlie Sgrillo said the most significant operational challenge during winter storms is simply reaching emergency scenes.

“The hardest thing is actually probably getting to the incident,” Sgrillo said. “That all depends on if it’s still snowing, how deep it is and where the streets department is as far as snow removal.”

Even before firefighters reach their stations, they face challenges. During the recent blizzard, personnel had to repeatedly clear snow from their personal vehicles throughout the day and night.

“Firefighters have to make sure they go out two or three times a day and through the night to keep their vehicles at the ready,” Sgrillo said. “Especially with the amount of snow we just got, they probably had to go outside maybe three or four times over a 24-hour period to keep their vehicles ready.”

Once firefighters reach emergency scenes, winter conditions create additional hazards.

“Water in freezing temperatures makes ice real quick,” Sgrillo said. “So if you have an incident, that’s the dangerous part of it as far as the operations on a fire scene.”

Snow-buried fire hydrants pose another critical problem. Sgrillo said clearing hydrants requires constant effort from both firefighters and residents.

“The biggest challenges are hydrants,” Sgrillo said. “(Monday) night, the Onoko station had three or four of the young guys go out after our meeting and spent two hours cleaning hydrants, going around and cleaning around hydrants with shovels.”

Sgrillo encouraged neighbors to clear snow around hydrants near their homes to assist emergency response efforts.

The duration crews can work outside varies depending on the nature of the emergency.

“If it’s going to be an extended incident, then you have to make arrangements,” Sgrillo said. “I’ve seen in the past where they actually brought in buses with heat, and this way the guys could go on there right close to the scene and warm up, and then you rotate with mutual aid to rotate other firefighters in if it’s going to be an extra alarm or a long service.”

For shorter incidents, firefighters rely on their gear and determination.

“I’ve been outside myself before for a good eight hours in this type of weather,” Sgrillo said. “When it finally gets through the gear into the bones, you do have to get warm.”

The mutual aid call Monday morning demonstrated the commitment required of volunteer firefighters during severe weather.

“Those guys from both sides of the borough got out of bed, got to their vehicles, got to the station, got in the fire trucks and proceeded to the call up in Penn Forest,” Sgrillo said. “We were recalled, but they had to go through all that just as a mutual aid service, just in case they needed us.”

Winter storms often bring calls beyond traditional fire emergencies. Departments assist with downed trees and wires, power outages affecting vulnerable residents and other weather-related emergencies.

“A lot of times it’s just to help the public,” Sgrillo said. “If trees come down and wires are involved, we’ll respond. With residents losing power, you’ve got senior citizens or someone maybe on oxygen and things of that nature. We’d have to help get them out if called upon.”

With increased heating needs during cold snaps, Sgrillo emphasized safety precautions for space heater use.

“The main thing is be extremely careful with the placement of the heater, and also do not use extension cords with the heaters,” he said. “It can’t be too close to furniture or any other kind of combustibles. Extension cords can be an issue also.”

Sgrillo praised the coordination between departments during the recent storm. Jim Thorpe’s public service department maintained roads and cleared fire station aprons to ensure emergency access.

“The best thing would be being prepared for the storm,” Sgrillo said. “That’s the key for everybody to have a safe and quiet storm.”