Fire crews
fight against frozen hydrants. The gasket and valve are below the
frost line and they sometimes have a potential of having a mechanical
issue that causes a leak. The leak
results in frozen hydrants.
Posted:
Jan 01, 2015 6:34 PM EST Updated: Jan 01, 2015 7:03 PM EST
CEDAR
FALLS (KWWL) -
Just
this week fire crews in Sumner had to spend precious time running their hose a
block further away because they hooked up to a frozen hydrant. A similar
situation happened in Sioux City when authorities tried to hook up to two
hydrants at a mobile home park, but the hydrants were frozen.
"Fire
is a living, breathing enemy that we fight and how we fight it is with
water," said Captain Rob Inouye, Cedar Falls Fire Department.
It's
a situation Inouye hasn't ever had to deal with in 20 years in the business,
but it is something they need to always be ready for.
"We
carry 700 feet large diameter or supply hose on our fire trucks so that if a
hydrant in front of us doesn't work or is nearby and doesn't work we've got
enough, large diameter supply line to go to another hydrant," said Inouye.
Every
year there are frozen hydrants in the city, but in Cedar Falls it's up to the
utilities company to check and maintain them.
Inouye
says in Iowa we have dry barrel hydrants. The gasket and valve are below the
frost line and they sometimes have a potential of having a mechanical
issue.
"There
might be a small leak, a slow leak, a gasket that goes bad and water starts to
slowly fill up in that dry barrel hydrant making it wet. And that water in that
dry barrel might freeze," said Inouye.
Regardless
if the hydrants work or not, crews say there is an opportunity for people to
help maintain their hydrants.
Inouye
says if there is a failure it could be possible, there may be a leak outside
the hydrant. He says if something doesn't look right, call the utility company.
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West Bridgewater Firefighters Battle Flames, Frozen
Hydrants, Icy Conditions
WEST BRIDGEWATER (CBS) – Firefighters in West Bridgewater had to battle frigid conditions as flames tore through a home early Thursday morning.
The overnight fire destroyed a home on Ash Street. Two people were inside the home when the fire broke out. Both managed to escape
safely along with a family dog that was inside the house.Firefighters had to contend with frozen hydrants and slippery conditions.
“Every place where you spray water is going to freeze. Usually what happens is the scene becomes just a giant skating rink. So now you have to be concerned with slip and fall injuries, West Bridgewater Fire Chief Leonard Hunt said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.