Black Hydrants Have Texas Firefighters Seeing Red

[FFD941 20]

Black Hydrants Have Texas Firefighters Seeing Red

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Story by KSAT.com

GUADALUPE COUNTY, Texas --

Some firefighters are seeing red over some Guadalupe County fire hydrants, which if area officials have their way, won't be red.

More than half of the 450 fire hydrants controlled by the Green Valley Special Utility District have been painted black in compliance with a state House bill.

Full Article at Firehouse.com

What's everyones opinion on this?

Edited April 15, 2008 by FFD941

[Doc 11]

So there is a Texas state law that says hydrants that flow less than 250gpm must be painted black - and this utility company can't garantee at least 250 gpm from ANY of their hydrants, so they're painting them ALL black? What's the problem? That the hydrants are utterly worthless? Or that the fire department seems to think that they can still rely on any of these worthless hydrants when the folks at the other side of the water main are telling them they are dangerously inadequate? Either way, the solution seems simple to me...

Time for the department to invest in tankers and write these worthless hydrants out of their SOPs.

Edited April 15, 2008 by Doc

[FFD941 20]

Doc I'm trying to figure out the same thing

[SageVigiles 1,194]

Or the town should take some initiative and beef up their water supply system. If you have the hydrants they might as well work.

[AFS1970 504]

After reading the article, I see what the Firefighters are upset about. Aparently more than half are below 250 GPM and are required to be Black, but the utility district has decided to paint all of them Black that way they can not be held liable for a low flow from a hydrant that previously was at or above 250. Due to this, the Firefighters will not be able to simply bypass the Black hydrants for the Red ones, as there will be no red ones, each and every hydrant will have to be tested on scene (yeah right)or abandoned in favor of tankers or drafting.

[antiquefirelt 994]

I'm still trying to figure this one out. Why can't the water company test the hydrants and paint the appropriate color on each? The spokesman says because they can't guarantee it? Why not? What is the source? We tried getting our water district to cover or discontinue any hydrant under 500 gpm. I can't imagine wanting anything that low.

[x635 4,066]

KEY WORDS:

have been painted black in compliance with a state House bill.

House Bill 1717 states than if a fire hydrant doesn't provide an adequate flow of water -- at least 250 gallons per minute -- it must be painted black or covered with a similar-colored sack.

Just a side question, aren't all NYC fire hydrants black?

I feel, even if there low pressure, they should still be painted a more visible color, or at least have a band of color.