Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fire Hydrant
Fire Hydrant
A fire hydrant (also known colloquially as a fire plug in the United States or as a johnny pump
in New York City),[1] is an active fire protection measure, and a source of water provided in most
urban, suburban and rural areas with municipal water service to enable firefighters to tap into the
municipal water supply to assist in extinguishing a fire. Buildings near a hydrant may qualify for
an insurance discount since firefighters should be able to more rapidly extinguish a fire on the
insured property.
The concept of fire plugs dates to at least the 17th century. This was a time when firefighters
responding to a call would dig down to the wooden water mains and hastily bore a hole to secure
water to fight fires. The water would fill the hole creating a temporary well, and be transported
from the well to the fire by bucket brigades or, later, by hand-pumped fire engines. The holes
were then plugged with stoppers, normally redwood, which over time came to be known as fire
plugs. The location of the plug would often be recorded or marked so that it could be reused in
future fires. This is the source of the colloquial term fire plug still used for fire hydrants today.
After the Great Fire of London in 1666, the city installed water mains with holes drilled at
intervals, equipped with risers, allowing an access point to the wooden fire plugs from street
level.[2][3]
The invention of a post- or pillar-type fire hydrant is generally credited to Frederick Graff Sr.,
Chief Engineer of the Philadelphia Water Works around the year 1801. It had a combination
hose/faucet outlet and was of "wet barrel" design with the valve in the top. It is said that Graff
held the first patent for a fire hydrant, but this cannot be verified because the patent office in
Washington D.C. caught on fire in 1836 destroying many patent records from that period in the
process.[4]
Contents
1 Operation
o 1.1 Other uses
2 Construction
3 Appearance
4 Signage
5 Inspection and maintenance
6 Historical inventions and innovations
7 Non-pressurized (dry) hydrants
8 Other types
9 See also
10 References
11 Further reading
12 External links
Operation
A hose is attached to the fire hydrant, then the valve is opened to provide a powerful flow of
water, on the order of 350 kPa (50 lbf/in²) (this pressure varies according to region and depends
on various factors including the size and location of the attached water main). This hose can be
further attached to a fire engine, which can then use a powerful pump to boost the water pressure
and possibly split it into multiple streams. The hose may be connected with a threaded
connection, instantaneous "quick" connector or a Storz connector. Care should be taken not to
open or close a fire hydrant too quickly, as this can create a water hammer which can damage
nearby pipes and equipment. The water inside a charged hoseline causes it to be very heavy and
high water pressure causes it to be stiff and unable to make a tight turn while pressurized. When
a fire hydrant is unobstructed, this is not a problem, as there is enough room to adequately
position the hose.
Clapper valve
Most fire hydrant valves are not designed to throttle the water flow; they are designed to be
operated full-on or full-off. The valving arrangement of most dry-barrel hydrants is for the drain
valve to be open at anything other than full operation. Usage at partial-opening can consequently
result in considerable flow directly into the soil surrounding the hydrant, which, over time, can
cause severe scouring. A hose with a closed nozzle valve, or fire truck connection, or closed gate
valve is always attached to the hydrant before opening the hydrant's main valve.
In most jurisdictions it is illegal to park a car within a certain distance of a fire hydrant. In North
America the distances are commonly 3 to 5 m or 10 to 15 ft, often indicated by yellow or red
paint on the curb. In the UK, yellow lines are used to keep cars from parking over underground
hydrants. Parking restrictions are sometimes ignored (especially in cities where available street
parking is scarce), however these laws are usually enforced. The rationale is that hydrants need
to be visible and accessible in an emergency.
A New York City hydrant hooked to an FDNY fire engine with a turgid hose actively pumping
water.
Other uses
Children playing in the spray of a fire hydrant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
To prevent casual use or misuse, the hydrant requires special tools to be opened, usually a large
wrench with a pentagon-shaped socket. Vandals sometimes cause monetary loss by wasting
water when they open hydrants. Such vandalism can also reduce municipal water pressure and
impair firefighters' efforts to extinguish fires. Sometimes those simply seeking to play in the
water remove the caps and open the valve, providing residents a place to play and cool off in
summer. However, this is usually discouraged as residents have been struck by passing
automobiles while playing in the street in the water spray. In spite of this, some US communities
provide low flow sprinkler heads to enable residents to use the hydrants to cool off during hot
weather, while gaining some control on water usage. Most fire hydrants in Australia are
protected by a silver-coloured cover with a red top, secured to the ground with bolts to protect
the hydrant from vandalism and unauthorised use. The cover must be removed before use.
In most US areas, contractors who need temporary water may purchase permits to use hydrants.
The permit will generally require a hydrant meter, a gate valve and sometimes a clapper valve (if
not designed into the hydrant already) to prevent back-flow into the hydrant. Additionally,
residents who wish to use the hydrant to fill their in-ground swimming pool are commonly
permitted to do so provided they pay for the water and agree to allow firefighters to draft from
their pool in the case of an emergency.
Municipal services, such as street sweepers and tank trucks, may also be allowed to use hydrants
to fill their water tanks. Often sewer maintenance trucks need water to flush out sewerage lines,
and fill their tanks on site from a hydrant. If necessary, the municipal workers will record the
amount of water they used, or use a meter.
Since fire hydrants are one of the most accessible parts of a water distribution system, they are
often used for attaching pressure gauges or loggers or monitor system water pressure. Automatic
flushing devices are often attached to hydrants to maintain chlorination levels in areas of low
usage. Hydrants are also used as an easy above-ground access point by leak detection devices to
detect locate leak from the sound they make.
Construction
In areas subject to freezing temperatures, only a portion of the hydrant is above ground. The
valve is located below the frost line and connected by a riser to the above-ground portion. A
valve rod extends from the valve itself up through a seal at the top of the hydrant, where it can be
operated with the proper wrench. This design is known as a "dry barrel" hydrant, in that the
barrel, or vertical body of the hydrant, is normally dry. A drain valve underground opens when
the water valve is completely closed; this allows all water to drain from the hydrant body to
prevent the hydrant from freezing.
In warm areas, hydrants are used with one or more valves in the above-ground portion. Unlike
cold-weather hydrants, it is possible to turn the water supply on and off to each port. This style is
known as a "wet barrel" hydrant.
Both wet- and dry-barrel hydrants typically have multiple outlets. Wet barrel hydrant outlets are
typically individually controlled, while a single stem operates all the outlets of a dry barrel
hydrant simultaneously. Thus, wet barrel hydrants allow single outlets to be opened, requiring
somewhat more effort but simultaneously allowing more flexibility.
A typical U.S. dry-barrel hydrant has two smaller outlets and one larger outlet. The larger outlet
is often a Storz connection if the local fire department has standardized on hose using Storz
fittings for large diameter supply line. The larger outlet is known as a "steamer" connection
(because they were once used to supply steam powered water pumps), and a hydrant with such
an outlet may be referred to as a "steamer hydrant" although this usage is becoming archaic.
Likewise, an older hydrant without a steamer connection may be referred to as a "village
hydrant."
Appearance
A fire hydrant in Demorest, Georgia painted with an American patriotic theme.
In Germany, most hydrants are located below ground (Unterflurhydrant) and are reached by a
Standrohr which provides the connections for the hoses.
Signage
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, hydrants are located in the ground. Yellow "H" hydrant
signs indicate the location of the hydrants, and are similar to the blue signs in Finland. Mounted
on a small post or nearby wall etc., the two numbers indicate the diameter of the water main (top
number) and the distance from the sign (lower number). Modern signs show these measurements
in millimetres and metres, whereas older signs use inches and feet.[5] Because the orders of
magnitude are so different (6 inches versus 150 mm) there is no ambiguity whichever measuring
system is used.
In areas of the United States without winter snow cover, blue reflectors embedded in the street
are used to allow rapid identification of hydrants at night. In areas with snow cover, tall signs or
flags are used so that hydrants can be found even if covered with snow. In rural areas tall narrow
posts painted with visible colours such as red are attached to the hydrants to allow them to be
found during heavy snowfall periods.
In Australia, Hydrant signage varies, with several types displayed across the country. Most
Australian hydrants are underground, being of a ballcock system, and a standpipe with a central
plunger is used to open the valve. Consequently, hydrant signage is essential, because of their
concealed nature.
In most areas fire hydrants require annual inspections and maintenance — they normally only
have a one-year warranty, but some have 5- or even 10-year warranties, although the longer
warranty does not remove the need for periodic inspections or maintenance. These inspections
are generally performed by the local municipalities but they often do not inspect hydrants that
are identified as private. Private hydrants are usually located on larger properties to adequately
protect large buildings in case of a fire and in order to comply with the fire code. Such hydrants
have met the requirements of insurance underwriters and are often referred to as UL/FM
hydrants. Some companies are contracted out to inspect private fire hydrants unless the
municipality has undertaken that task.
Some fire hydrant manufacturers recommend lubricating the head mechanism and restoring the
head gaskets and O-rings annually in order that the fire hydrant perform the service expected of
them, while others have incorporated proprietary features to provide long-term lubrication of the
hydrant's operating mechanism. In any case, periodic inspection of lubricates is recommended.
Lubrication is generally done with a food-grade non-petroleum lubricant to avoid contamination
of the distribution system.
Occasionally a stone or foreign object will mar the seat gasket. In this case, most hydrants have a
special seat wrench that allows removal of the seat to replace the gasket or other broken parts
without removing the hydrant from the ground. Hydrant extensions are also available for raising
a hydrant if the grade around the hydrant changes. Without extending the height, the wrenches to
remove caps would not clear and the break flanges for traffic models would not be located
correctly in case they were hit. Hydrant repair kits are also available to repair sacrificial parts
designed to break when hit by a vehicle.
Many departments use the hydrants for flushing out water line sediments. When doing so, they
often use a hydrant diffuser, a device that diffuses the water so that it does not damage property
and is less dangerous to bystanders than a solid stream. Some diffusers also dechlorinate the
water to avoid ground contamination. [6] Hydrants are also sometimes used as entry or exit points
for pipe cleaning pigs.
In the event of a fire, teams would dig down to the buried wooden water main and auger a hole
in the pipe, and out would come the water to fill buckets. Then a bucket brigade would be started
to extinguish the fire. When the teams were finished, they would need to hammer a wooden plug
into the log to stop the flow of water. Hence the origin of the term “fire plug.”
A dry hydrant which allows water to be pumped by a fire engine from the lake
In rural areas where municipal water systems are not available, dry hydrants are used to supply
water for fighting fires. A dry hydrant is analogous to a standpipe. A dry hydrant is usually an
unpressurized, permanently installed pipe that has one end below the water level of a lake or
pond. This end usually has a strainer to prevent debris from entering the pipe. The other end is
above ground and has a hard sleeve connector. When needed, a pumper fire engine will pump
from the lake or pond by drafting water. This is done by vacuuming the air out of the dry
hydrant, hard sleeve, and the fire engine pump with a primer. Because lower pressure exists at
the pump intake, atmospheric pressure on the pond or lake forces water into part of the dry
hydrant above water, into the hard sleeve, and finally into the pump. This water can then be
pumped by the engine's centrifugal pump.
Other types
Water wells are also sometimes classified as fire hydrants if they can supply enough
water volume and pressure.
Standpipes are connections for firehoses within a building and serve the same purpose as
fire hydrants in larger structures. Standpipes may be "dry" or "wet" (permanently filled
with water).
See also
Arson
Active fire protection
Fire extinguisher
Fire protection
Fire sprinkler
Flushing hydrant
Hydrant wrench
Portable water tank
References
1. ^ Johnny Pump
2. ^ Shaw, Eyre Massey Fire Protection, a Complete Manual of the Organization,
Machinery, Discipline, and General Workings of the Fire Brigade of London 1876. Pages
24–26. Retrieved February 26, 2007 from Google Book Search. Description, illustration,
and operation of London style wooden fire plugs.
3. ^ "Fire Plugs (derivation of the term)". SewerHistory.org. Retrieved 21
November 2008.
4. ^ "A Brief History of the Hydrant". Fire Hydrant.org.
5. ^ "Good Stewardship for Schools' Premises 2009" (PDF). Cambridgeshire
County Council. p. 18. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
6. ^ "Hydrant Flushing FAQ, United States of America".
Further reading
5 years ago
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Kate
The water that comes out of the hydrant is the same water that comes into homes, businesses,
and schools. This water has a water pressure of about 50-80 psi (pounds per square inch). This
pressure is high enough for everyday use, but is not high enough for use by firefighters. So, the
pumps on the fire engines increase the pressure. Then, there are smaller hoses that attach to the
engines that firefighters use to fight fires.
Fire hydrants in the cooler states have an added level of complexity because the temperature
often goes below freezing in the winter. Since water expands when it freezes and turns to ice, the
hydrant could crack if there is water in the hydrant when it freezes and expands. Also, if there
was a fire during the freezing weather, the hydrants wouldn't work, because there would be a
huge chuck of ice clogging the hydrant.
To avoid the problem of freezing water, many hydrants are 'dry barrel hydrants', which means
that no water stays in the upper section of the hydrant when the hydrant valve is turned off. The
valve that controls the water flow is below ground and there is a long rod that connects the stem
nut to the valve. Next to the valve, there is a drain hole to let water drain out of the barrel of the
hydrant after firefighters turn the valve off. The pipe that holds the water is buried deep enough
so that it never freezes. (A bit of trivia: Because of this mechanism, it's near impossible for a car
to run over a fire hydrant and cause it to gush water as they do in the movies, since there usually
is no water in the upper part of the barrel.)
The main challenges of hydrant design --- anti-freezing, hydraulic efficiency, ease of repair ---
were all known and dealt with, to varying degrees of success, early on, before 1900. The first
steamer or pumper outlet came about around 1860 following the invention of the steam fire
engine. Although materials have improved and some of the elements of hydrant design have
been refined, the basic form of both the dry barrel and wet barrel hydrants have endured
relatively unchanged since the mid 1800s.
note:
The second link gives a facinating account of the history of the fire hydrant.
Source(s):
http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/as…
http://www.firehydrant.org/pictures/hydr…
5 years ago
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61% 11 Votes
1.
2.
3.
4.
o
B.
A hose is attached to the fire hydrant, then the valve is opened to provide a powerful
source of water, on the order of 350 kPa (50 lbf/in²) (this pressure varies according to
region and depends on various factors including the size and location of the attached
water main). This hose can be further attached to a fire engine, which can then use a
powerful pump to boost the water pressure and possibly split it into multiple streams. The
hose may be connected with a threaded connection or a Storz connector. Care should be
taken not to open or close a fire hydrant too quickly, as this can create a water hammer
which can damage nearby pipes and equipment. The water inside a charged hoseline
causes it to be very heavy and high water pressure causes it to be stiff and unable to make
a tight turn while pressurized. When a fire hydrant is unobstructed, this is not a problem,
as there is enough room to adequately position the hose.
Clapper valveMost fire hydrant valves are not designed to throttle the water flow; they
are designed to be operated full-on or full-off. The valving arrangement of most dry-
barrel hydrants is for the drain valve to be open at anything other than full operation.
Usage at partial-opening can consequently result in considerable flow directly into the
soil surrounding the hydrant, which, over time, can cause severe scouring . A hose with a
closed nozzle valve, or fire truck connection, or closed gate valve is always attached to
the hydrant prior to opening the hydrant's main valve.
Chicago police car parked illegally in front of a fire hydrant. Note the yellow line on the
curb by the hydrant.In most jurisdictions it is illegal to park a car within a certain distance
of a fire hydrant. In North America the distances are commonly 3 to 5 m or 10 to 15 ft,
often indicated by yellow or red paint on the curb. In the UK, yellow lines are used to
keep cars from parking over underground hydrants. Parking restrictions are sometimes
ignored (especially in cities where available street parking is scarce), however these laws
are usually enforced. The rationale is that hydrants need to be visible and accessible in an
emergency.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_Hydran…
o 5 years ago
o Report Abuse
11% 2 Votes
MAGSER
fire hydrants are placed on pressurised water main pipes undeground and are placed in
convenient spots for fire brigades to gain access in built up areas at suitable distances
from each other. the water main pressure is kept up via pumps. the covers on hydrants are
clearly marked to save confusion with other services. when a hydrant needs to be used it
can be opened by way of a large metal key and a special reinforced hose can be
connected and the pressure will drive water through this hose to the area that requires the
water,usually a fire. when the operation is over the same key will turn off the hydrant and
the hose can be disconnected.
Source(s):
i fit hydrants to water mains that i install along with meters and valves which have their
own important uses.
o 5 years ago
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0% 0 Votes
It's a static water pressure system. If you turn on one or two the system maintains
pressue, but if you turned on all the hydrants in a town or city they would have no
pressure.
They use the same system as single family homes and businesses, they simply have no
pressure reducers on the tap and a larger tap diameter.
o 5 years ago
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6% 1 Vote
Pfo
It's the same as your faucet, they are always pressurized, removing the valve causes the
water to flow.
Source(s):
http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/as…
o 5 years ago
o Report Abuse
6% 1 Vote
Kirk Spock
Them thar big things..... them be water towers.... and all that water up there.... wants to
come down here..... and that pull of gravity on all those gallons of water makes a lot of
pressure.... so when you open a valve..... guess what?
o 5 years ago
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Stevo
I have seen one nearby that looked kinda like a brewery with the big ol tanks, but it
pressurizred and said it was highly dangerous
o 5 years ago
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larry
its real complicated but all cities have pumps that hold pressure and deliver water
o 5 years ago
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The following sections taken from the Uniform Fire Code, 1997 edition, either contain
references to fire hydrants and fire hydrant systems or are referenced by other sections that
address fire hydrants and fire hydrant systems.
901.2.1 Permits. A permit is required to use or operate fire hydrants or valves intended for
fire-suppression purposes which are installed on water systems and are accessible to public
highways, alleys or private ways open to or generally used by the public. See Section 105.
Permit f.1.
901.2.2. Plans.
901.2.2.2 Fire Hydrant Systems Plans and specifications for fire hydrant systems shall be
submitted to the fire department for review and approval prior to construction.
901.4 Required Marking of Fire Apparatus Access Roads, Addresses and Fire-
Protection Equipment.
901.4.3 Fire-protection equipment and fire hydrants. Fire-protection equipment and fire
hydrants shall be clearly identified in an approved manner to prevent obstruction by parking
and other obstructions.
When required by the chief, hydrant locations shall be identified by the installation of
reflective markers.
903.1 General. Water supplies and fire hydrants shall be in accordance with Sections 901
and 903.
903.2 Required Water Supply for Fire Protection. An approved water supply capable of
supplying required fire flow for fire protection shall be provided to all premises upon which
facilities, buildings or portions of buildings are hereafter constructed or moved into or within
the jurisdiction. When any portion of the facility or building protected is in excess of 150
feet (45.72m) from a water supply on a public street, as measured by an approved route
around the exterior of the facility or building, on-site fire hydrants and mains capable of
supplying the required fire flow shall be provided when required by the chief. See section
903.4.
903.4.1 General.
903.4.1.1 Applicability. Fire hydrant systems and fire hydrants shall be in accordance with
section 903.4.
903.4.1.2 Testing and maintenance. Fire hydrant systems shall be subject to such periodic
tests as required by the chief. Fire hydrant systems shall be maintained in an operative
condition at all times and shall be repaired where defective. Additions, repairs, alterations
and servicing shall be in accordance with approved standards.
903.4.2 Required installations. The location, number and type of fire hydrants connected to
a water supply capable of delivering the required fire flow shall be provided on a public
street or on the site of the premises or both to be protected as required and approved. See
Appendix III-B.
Fire hydrants shall be accessible to the fire department apparatus by roads meeting the
requirements of Section 902.2.
903.4.4 Maintenance and Use of Hydrants. See Sections 1001.5 and 1001.6.2.
1001.4 Installation Acceptance Testing. Fire alarm systems; fire hydrant systems; fire
extinguishing systems, standpipes, and other fire protection systems and appurtenances
thereto shall meet the approval of the fire department as to installation and location and shall
be subject to such acceptance tests as required by the chief.
1001.5.1 Maintenance. Fire sprinkler systems, fire hydrant systems, standpipe systems, fire
alarm systems, portable fire extinguishers, smoke and heat ventilators, smoke removal
systems, and other fire protective or extinguishing systems or appliances shall be maintained
in an operative condition at all times and shall be replaced or repaired where defective.
Fire-protection or fire extinguishing systems coverage and spacing shall be maintained
according to original installation standards. Such systems shall be extended, altered, or
augmented as necessary to maintain and continue protection whenever any building so
equipped is altered, remodeled or added to. Additions, repairs, alterations and servicing shall
be in accordance with recognized standards.
1001.5.2 Inspection and testing. The chief is authorized to require periodic inspection and
testing for fire sprinkler systems, fire hydrant systems, standpipe systems, fire alarm
systems, portable fire extinguishers, smoke and heat ventilators, smoke removal systems and
other fire-protection or fire-extinguishing systems or appliances.
Automatic fire extinguishing systems shall be inspected and tested at least annually. See
Appendix III-C. Fire alarm systems shall be inspected and tested at least at frequencies
specified in UFC Standard 10-2. Standpipe systems shall be inspected and tested at least
every five years.
Reports of inspections and tests shall be maintained on the premises and made available
to the chief when requested.
1001.5.3. Systems out of Service. The chief shall be notified when any required fire-
protection system is out of service and on restoration of service.
1001.6.2 Fire hydrants and fire appliances. Fire hydrants and fire appliances required by
this code to be installed or maintained shall not be removed, tampered with or otherwise
disturbed except for the purpose of extinguishing fire, training, recharging or making repairs,
or when allowed by the fire department. When a fire appliance is removed as herein allowed,
it shall be replaced or reinstalled as soon as the purpose for which it was removed has been
accomplished.
1001.7.1 General Posts, fences, vehicles, growth, trash, storage and other materials or things
shall not be placed or kept near fire hydrants, fire department inlet connections or fire
department control valves in a manner that would prevent such equipment or fire hydrants
from being immediately discernible. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered
from gaining access to fire-protection equipment or hydrants.
1001.7.2 Clear space around hydrants. A 3-foot (.9144m) clear space shall be maintained
around the circumference of fire hydrants except as otherwise required or approved.
NFPA 291 Marking of Fire Hydrants. Bonnets and caps shall be coded as follows:
Continue to Part 10
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