![]() ![]() The rationale behind these laws is that hydrants need to be visible and accessible in an emergency.Ĭhildren playing in the spray of a fire hydrant in Philadelphia (1996) In North America, the distances are commonly 3 to 5 metres (10 to 16 ft), often indicated by yellow or red paint on the curb. In most jurisdictions it is illegal to park a car within a certain distance of a fire hydrant. High-pressure water coursing through a potentially aging and corroding hydrant could cause a failure, injuring the firefighter operating the hydrant or bystanders. When operating a hydrant, a firefighter typically wears appropriate personal protective equipment, such as gloves and a helmet with face shield worn. Time is often critical as other firefighters will be waiting for the water supply. ![]() New firefighters are often trained extensively on fire hydrants in the fire academy to be quick and safe while connecting the fire engine to the fire hydrant (usually within 1 minute). It is good practice to install valves on all orifices before using a hydrant as the protective caps are unreliable and can cause major injury if they fail. These valves can be up to 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter to accommodate the large central "steamer" orifices on many US hydrants. Gate or butterfly valves can be installed directly onto the hydrant orifices to control individual outputs and allow for changing equipment connections without turning off the flow to other orifices. Usage at partial-opening can consequently result in considerable flow directly into the soil surrounding the hydrant, which, over time, can cause severe scouring. The valving arrangement of most dry-barrel hydrants is for the drain valve to be open at anything other than full operation. Most fire hydrant valves are not designed to throttle the water flow they are designed to be operated full-on or full-off. When a fire hydrant is unobstructed, this is not a problem, as there is enough room to adequately position the hose. The water inside a charged hose line causes it to be very heavy and high water pressure causes it to be stiff and unable to make a tight turn while pressurized. One may connect the hose with a threaded connection, instantaneous " quick connector" or a Storz connector.Ī user should take care not to open or close a fire hydrant too quickly, as this can cause a water hammer, which can damage nearby pipes and equipment. This user can attach this hose to a fire engine, which can use a powerful pump to boost the water pressure and possibly split it into multiple streams. The user attaches a hose to the fire hydrant, then opens a valve on the hydrant to provide a powerful flow of water, on the order of 350 kilopascals (51 psi) this pressure varies according to region and depends on various factors (including the size and location of the attached water main). Above-ground pillar-type hydrants are a 19th-century invention. Underground fire hydrants have been used in Europe and Asia since at least the 18th century. It is a component of active fire protection. ( Forgotten NY has a loving photographic tribute to some old stubs that you can still find around the city.Fire hydrant in Charlottesville, Virginia, United StatesĪ fire hydrant, fireplug, or firecock (archaic) is a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply. ![]() No wonder most of these nostalgic ‘fat’ hydrants were shut down by the 1980s. By the 1970s, hydrants bursting at their lids would be a defining image of the depressed, cash-strapped decade. (I mean, the temptation!) Early ‘flip lid’ hydrants might have been easier to tinker with, but the lack of a dramatic street spray would have bored early vandals.Īh, but with the debut of high-pressure hydrants in the early 20th century, rowdy street teens could be assured of turning their local neighborhoods into a veritable low-scale city of fountains. ![]() So I’m guessing that the first kids to mess with a New York City fire hydrant were those kids that were living on the block within 24 hours of the hydrant’s installation. The very first fire hydrant popped up in New York at the corner of William and Liberty streets in 1808. Happy first day of summer! Who doesn’t want to run down a street, streaking through bursts of water emanating from old-style fire hydrants? Although I’m pretty sure nobody has ever tried to guess the identity of the very first ragamuffins to break into a fire hydrant, common sense and a rote knowledge of teenage behavior can help narrow down the candidates. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |