Fire Hydrants of North America

Since I have praised the aesthetics of Irish fire hydrants, it seems appropriate to present some pretty pictures of American fire hydrants – or at least those I have stumbled across in the western US. (Not literally – my eyesight is still somewhat functional.)

Of course, the hydrant shown above is purely for show. It is a piece of decor found at Greater Nevada Field, Reno, NV, home of 1868 FC.

Unlike their Irish relatives, American fire hydrants brazenly claim their spot on the pavement with a burly presence that has become iconic. Not for them a retiring presence underground with a humble identification marker. That modesty is left to their transatlantic peers. What this says about national character, I will leave you to contemplate.

Whatever continent you reside on, aesthetics remain important in the built environment. I found the hydrant below in Mount Shasta, California. It is both functional and pretty:

Although hydrant colors are supposed to relate to the available flowrate from the device (per NFPA Standards), it is up to the local government to adopt the standard or not. Local regulations can allow variations. For example, this non-standard purple and yellow, um, beauty was spotted at the University of Washington, Seattle:

Most hydrants have traditional threaded connections, but some jurisdictions prefer those with quick connect couplings. The largest coupling, at the front, allows the hydrant to be connected to a fire truck pumper. (Even after a quarter century in the US, that word still makes me cringe). Fire hose can be connected directly to the two smaller connections on the hydrant.

The example below, with a quick connect coupling, was spotted in Carson City, Nevada. This hydrant also conveniently fulfills our notion that fire equipment should be red:

The modern fire threat definitely includes scrub or brush fires. We hope that all hydrants are accessible when a fire occurs. They should not surrounded by combustible material. This example of a compromised hydrant (and its better positioned neighbor) was spotted in Stateline, Nevada:

The most important hydrant of all is the one that protects your home. This buttercup is three houses down from my place of residence. Sad to say, it has been used to deal with three house fires on my street in the last half-decade (and there are only ten houses on our cul-de-sac). Desert winds, wood construction, and cooking fatty meats are a dangerous combination. Clearly vegetarianism is the key to fire safety.

And of course, fire hydrants are purposeless without the human responders who operate them. So, thank you, City of Sparks Fire Department. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but I hope never to see you near my home again.

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See other posts about fire hydrants:

https://thenumerateninny.com/?p=1333

https://thenumerateninny.com/2019/08/14/fire-hydrants-of-ireland/