Importance of Fire Hydrants for Emergency Response

If you’re anything like me, the importance of fire hydrants is typically not top-of-mind.  They are pervasive but sort of fade into the background of our landscapes, only rising in prominence during the extremely rare instances in which they need to be used. 

But therein lies the problem.  Because these life saving devices are so infrequently used, their reliability is always in question.  If your home is on fire, the closest hydrant is going to be the most important thing in the world to you.  Without them, fires can rapidly grow out of control, which often results in damage to power lines and represents yet another factor for emergency planners to consider.

The Problem with Fire Hydrants

According to this article from Water World, there are a variety of issues that could hinder first responders’ ability to efficiently utilize fire hydrants, but the biggest issue is that hydrants are often hidden by vegetation, trees, structures or other obstructions.

To mitigate this issue, many water utilities have programs in place to remove these obstructions, similar to electric utility vegetation control programs.  Unfortunately, homeowner complaints and resource issues sometimes make this a difficult proposition, as a typical town can have anywhere from 500 to 5,000 hydrants within its limits.  However, water operators are coming up with unique ideas to help compensate for these impediments.

Some municipalities that operate their own water system have passed ordinances that require homeowners to keep hydrants clear and unobstructed.  Additionally, many operators have launched local educational campaigns encompassing press releases, local news vignettes, social media campaigns and bill inserts to communicate the importance of hydrant accessibility. 

Another innovative approach being used is the “Adopt a Hydrant” program, which, much like Adopt a Highway, encourages volunteers to keep local fire hydrants clear. 

To sum it up, inability to control fires does not help anybody – not homeowners, not first responders, and not utility field crews.  And the only way to ensure maximum fire control is to maintain functional, well maintained, and easily locatable and accessible fire hydrants.