ROCKFORD, Mich.—Rockford Chief of Public Safety Dave Jones is asking community members to do some extra digging in the snow and clear fire hydrants near their homes.

Jones says he’s heard too many stories this winter from other communities with firefighters who had trouble locating hydrants, losing several critical minutes clearing snow around the hydrants during a fire.

“Because of the unusual amount of snowfall this winter, we are asking residents to come together as a community to help clear snow from hydrants near their home,” said Jones.

Jones says the Public Services Department has been busy clearing roads and intersections this winter, leaving no time or opportunity to help residents with clearing hydrants and sidewalks.

Residents who are not sure of the location of fire hydrants near their home are encouraged to contact the City of Rockford at (616) 866-1537.“Because of the unusual amount of snowfall this winter we are asking residents to come

CANNON TOWNSHIP, Mich.—Firefighters are investigating a possible lightning strike at a bank.

Crews were called to the Huntington Bank on Myers Lake Avenue NE and Belding Road NE around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, after storms rolled through the area.  Kent County dispatchers say the bank was evacuated as smoke filled the facility. 

No one is believed to have been injured.

The calendar may say it is spring, but mother nature is delivering a different season.  Kent County residents woke up to snow showers this morning as temperatures hovered in the low to mid 30’s. 

Rain is in the forecast virtually every day in the next week, according to the 13 On Target Weather team.

Rivers and streams in West Michigan will remain high with localized flooding of low lying areas, according to meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids.

Here are the current river conditions in Kent County.  All readings are from Saturday, April 13:

The Thornapple River in Hastings is close to flood stage.  As of 12:15pm today, the river was at 6.71 feet.  Flood stage is 7 feet.

The Thornapple River in Caledonia was at 8.18 feet at 11:30am today.  Flood stage is 10 feet. 

Downstream in Cascade, the river spilled over its banks just below the Cascade Dam at Tassel Park.