FIRE HYDRANT COLORS HOW TO

When you are in an emergency situation and need to use a hydrant. To put out dangerous fires, firefighters use fire hydrants.

In an emergency situation, the color of a hydrant may be the difference between life and death.

Otherwise, just call us back when we’re able to come out again tomorrow morning so we can assess everything further over coffee. If so, contact one of our experts right away so they can look into fixing this issue without creating more damage down the road. Especially if you have had problems with pipes leaking during rainstorms (which causes toxins such as nitrates). If your white-colored hydrant looks dirty and dull (or even yellowish), then there may be algae growing inside of it. You should call an expert to troubleshoot this problem at your home before using any fire hydrants. This could be due to an outdated valve or improperly installed sprinkler heads. A greenish-blue colorĪ greenish-blue color may indicate that the water pressure is too low for the proper operation of the sprinkler system. Like a broken pipe or the flooding issues caused by erosion or other natural disasters. An old-looking hydrant can also indicate problems in your community. A red or orange hydrant may mean that there is a problem with the water supply and that you should let it dry out before using it again. The color of your fire hydrant can tell you a lot about its condition. Green – Reserved For Fire Department Use Only * White – Allows Access For Everyone With Valid Identification Yellow – Restricted Access By Permission Only, Such As Military Bases Or Airports Red – Public Access, only for use if there is no other option available.īlue – Private Property Only, No Public Access Allowed.Although not all hydrants look alike, there is often information printed on them that can help save lives.

FIRE HYDRANT COLORS HOW TO

If you are in an emergency situation, such as a fire or a medical emergency, it is important to know how to use a fire hydrant correctly. These are generally replaced with new parts when a hydrant is overhauled. Repair requires replacing the drain plug and possibly also the valve stem as needed. The valve is usually opened to allow water to flow out through the attached hose, and then closed, and drain plugs open when the hydrant is not in use. The control point allows individual hydrants to be isolated for repair while others remain in service. Send questions to call him at 92.Each hydrant can be controlled from an access point on the ground level called the curb stop and at the central control room. Post-Crescent reporter Duke Behnke answers your questions about local government. Neenah, for example, follows this practice, but Appleton lately has been using the same color for both the barrel and bonnet of the hydrant.Ī green and yellow hydrant would be classified as a green hydrant. It's more than likely on the city's schedule for repainting as all green.

The NFPA and AWWA recommend that the barrel of a public hydrant be painted chrome yellow and that the bonnet and nozzle cap color correspond to the flow rate. 'We spend an average of $16,000 per year to get hydrants repainted,' she said. Public Works Director Paula Vandehey said 150 of the 186 will be repainted this summer. The city also has 186 yellow hydrants that have yet to be repainted to fit the color scheme.

The total includes 44 red, 573 orange and 2,616 green hydrants but no blue ones. WATCHDOG Q&A: Duke Behnke answers your questionsĪppleton has 3,419 fire hydrants, according to the Department of Public Works. RELATED: Appleton names park in honor of fallen firefighter Mitch Lundgaard The universal color scheme helps firefighters, even those who might be arriving from another community, readily determine which hydrant will provide the best water flow to fight a fire.

Blue: Hydrants with a flow rate of 1,500 gpm or greater.

Green: Hydrants with a flow rate of 1,000 to 1,499 gpm.

Orange: Hydrants with a flow rate of 500 to 999 gpm.

Red: Hydrants with a flow rate of less than 500 gallons per minute.

The colors indicate the water flow rate of a particular hydrant, which is determined by factors like water pressure and the diameter of the underground distribution pipes.Īppleton paints its hydrants in accordance with the color scheme recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and American Water Works Association (AWWA). Does that mean a Packers fan lives there?Īnswer: The colors of Appleton's fire hydrants don't correlate to the Green Bay Packers or any other sports team, but they do have significant meaning. Question: Why are Appleton's fire hydrants painted different colors? There are orange ones, red ones and green ones.

Fire hydrant colors