Hydrant Testing
Fire hydrants provide us with quick access to a significant amount of water in the event of a fire. Due to the vital role they have in fire suppression efforts, we ensure all of our fire hydrants undergo annual maintenance and testing.
During testing we ensure the hydrant is working properly and measure its water output (GPM - gallons per minute). We inspect the hydrant for damage and inspect the three foot surrounding area for any vegetation that may prohibit us from easily locating and accessing the hydrant when we need it. Please keep the area around your fire hydrant free of any plants and shrubs. PLEASE DO NOT PAINT YOUR FIRE HYDRANT. Hydrants are painted a bright yellow color to improve visibility. The tops of hydrants are painted specific colors depending on the flow rate we measured during testing.
During testing we disturb the sediment in the water mains. You may notice a slightly brown discoloration to your water. If this occurs, open your faucet and let it run for a few minutes or until the water is clear again.
Testing and maintaining the fire hydrants in our community helps to ensure the safety of you, your family, your neighbors, and everyone's property. It also plays a role in saving you money on your home insurance. The ISO rating, used by insurance companies to determine the efficiency of your fire department, uses water supply as a factor in determining the rating for our community. If you have any questions or wish to report an issue with a fire hydrant, please call us at the firehouse.
Winter Hydrant Maintenance
During the fall months you may notice firefighters working again on hydrants in your neighborhood. Prior to winter, we inspect all of our fire hydrants to ensure they are still in good order. We also make sure their is no standing water inside the hydrant itself. If there is water, you will see us using a portable pump to evacuate any water in the hydrant. This prevents the water from freezing in the hydrants during the winter.
If you have a hydrant in your yard, we request you shovel around the hydrant after any snow storms. This saves precious minutes in the event of a fire at your or your neighbor's home. The faster we are able to access the hydrant, the faster we are able to go attack the fire. Thank you!
