RCFD Reminds Property Owners to Keep Fire Hydrants Clear

Clearing snow from around hydrants saves precious time

Above: A fire hydrant in Downtown Rapid City sits properly cleared to allow firefighters to work freely in the event it should be needed.

Rapid City, S.D. - It is well documented that, because of modern construction and modern furnishings, structure fires burn hotter and faster than ever before. This contributes to occupants having less time to escape than in the past. When fires burn hotter and faster it also reduces the amount of time that time it takes for structural components of a building to fail. For firefighters, this is why getting water on the fire as quickly as possible is so important. 

In Rapid City, the average amount of water carried by the internal tank on board one of our fire engines is about 700 gallons. Each of our engines has a pump that has the minimum capacity to pump up to 1,000 gallons of water per minute. It is easy to see why, at capacity, our tank water doesn't last long. To remedy this, we need to establish a water supply. In the urban setting, that generally means we will utilize a fire hydrant. 

Many people don't realize that it can be very difficult for us to locate the nearest hydrant when we arrive on a fire scene. Bushes and vegetation, vehicles, and poor visibility due to smoke or darkness can all contribute to that difficulty. One of our big concerns at the present time is snow. While we certainly welcome the moisture, piles of snow can prove to be problematic when it comes to locating fire hydrants.

When we arrive on scene, our standard is to establish a water supply within 90 seconds. A firefighter will exit the engine, grab the five-inch Large Diameter Hose (LDH) and drag it to the hydrant. Attached to the LDH is something we call a hydrant bag. The hydrant bag has a hydrant wrench used for opening caps and turning valves, spanner wrenches for tightening fittings, a gate valve for stopping and starting water flow without shutting off the main valve, and a connection to connect hose without threads to the hydrant. 

Above: Firefighter/Medic Mitch Hove uses tools and appliances from the hydrant bag to connect a five-inch Large Diameter Hose to the hydrant for use.

Even when the hydrant is visible, if snow isn't cleared from around the hydrant, it  can cause difficulty in making the connections and makes it much more difficult to locate and keep track of the tools from the hydrant bag. Snow that isn't cleared from around the hydrant can double or triple the amount of time it takes to establish a water supply. Having a reliable water supply is essential to firefighter safety. Those additional minutes could prove to be costly both in terms of property loss and the safety of firefighters.

The Rapid City Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to ask homeowners, property owners, and business managers to ensure all fire hydrants on their property are cleared of snow and easy for firefighters to access. When clearing snow, please give three (3) feet of clearance around the hydrant. It's best if the snow is cleared down to the ground. Make sure there is an opening to the curb to allow us a clear path to drag hose to the hydrant. 

Our organization strives to be as efficient as possible when it comes to responding to emergencies. The help of our community is greatly appreciated when it comes to making sure that we can quickly and efficiently establish a much needed water supply on the scene of a fire.

For questions or comment related to this release please contact Lt. Jim Bussell, Public Information Officer for the Rapid City Fire Department, at 605-394-4180.

Above: LDH from a nearby hydrant connects to a fire engine pumping to a fire during an October 2016 fire on E. Anamosa Street in Rapid City.  

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