Spring is finally here and people like to spruce things up and put a fresh coat of paint on everything this time of year. But the Fishers Fire Dept. has a reminder for you: don’t paint your fire hydrant! It may be tempting to put a coat on it that is a little more aesthetically pleasing in your landscaping, but it’s a big no-no as far as the fire dept. is concerned. The FFD reminds us that it’s not up to the homeowner to decide what the hydrant looks like. Citizens Energy Group is responsible for the maintenance for the green hydrants and American Water is responsible for the blue and white hydrants. Red hydrants are typically in commercial areas. Red hydrants are the responsibility of the property owners to maintain.
Here is a list of “Don’ts” from the FFD:
Don’t paint them – Often, people spruce them up but don’t take into consideration where the paint goes, causing them to be “painted shut”. It’s amazing just how problematic a little paint can be on threads of the pipe.
Don’t cover them up – Agreed, unless you have a fire motif in your front yard, hydrants don’t add to the landscape of most yards, but even so, don’t cover them up. While the fire dept. has more than one way of identifying a hydrant, eyes-on is the best. When covered up, not only can firefighters not see them, but when they find them and try to use them, the small attractive bush you planted three years ago is now a thick woody obstruction that keeps them from connecting their all-important hoses. To do so is in fact a violation of Indiana Fire Code 508.5.4. But tickets aside, that hydrant really makes a difference in whether lives and property are saved.
Don’t open the hydrants – Big city pictures of kids playing in the fire hydrants are very nostalgic but not practical or safe. There is a tremendous amount of pressure and at times, debris in these water lines, which can severely injure you.
Here is a list of Do’s –
Do call your water company if you see damage to your hydrant.
Do call you water company if your hydrant appears to need maintenance.
Do call your neighborhood association president if the hydrant is obstructed with growth or blocked from view. A three foot clear radius is required.
