The Humble Hydrant

Fire Hydrants, often called "fireplugs" in Western Pennsylvania, are connected directly to the water company's main supply lines which run below the ground. There are two general types of fire hydrants: "wet-barrel" and "dry-barrel." Wet barrel hydrants have water in them all the time, and thus are not suitable for environments where the air temperature can be expected to drop below 40 degrees--the hydrants could freeze solid. Around here, we use dry barrel hydrants, which have a stem valve on their tops and connect to the water main buried below the frost line, which may be twelve feet down. There is no water inside these hydrants until the stem valve is operated by a firefighter--that's why hydrants around here don't usually shoot water into the air if they're clipped off by a motor vehicle. Most fire engines carry only enough on-board water for a few minutes of pumping; after that, the trucks must obtain additional water. The hydrant is an essential part of the firefighting system, and as a citizen or landowner, you have certain responsibilities to not interfere with the proper operation of hydrants in your area. Some things you should keep in mind regarding hydrants:

	Don't use landscape elements such as fences or shrubbery to hide hydrants or obstruct access to them
	Don't paint hydrants to make them less visible. Don't paint them at all as you may seal the caps
	Don't open the caps on a hydrant. Should the hydrant be pressurized, you could be severely injured when the cap comes shooting off. Debris inside the caps can clog the suction vents on fire engines.
	Please, encourage the dog to use something else
	If you notice damage to a hydrant, contact your fire department or water company

If you'd like even more information about fire hydrants, take comfort in the fact that you are not alone in this rather obscure interest. There is actually a web site called "FireHydrant.org," and it's run by people who take their hydrants very seriously. Click on their name to check it out if you're so inclined, and we'll se you back here when you get your fill of fireplugs.