SA Firefighter
General Discussion => Country Fire Service => Topic started by: Footy on February 20, 2007, 04:46:12 PM
-
Whose responsibility is it for maintenance of Hydrants/Fire Plugs on roadways. On Sunday during some brigade training, we spent about ten minutes, clearing bitumen off of a hydrant cover on a road that had been resealed. Once into the Hydrant, it took another few minutes to sink the standpipe, after clearing all the build up of stuff in the hole...
This time be could be the difference between a house and a parking lot. I know that i would prefer that these be maintained, especially in my street...
Any suggestions? :?
-
United Water is responsible however because we are so good at finding hydrants/fireplugs for them to fix, they cracked it and said we are not allowed to do that unless it is in firefighting operations.
They also recommended only using hydrants at the last point in a dead end street,so we dont upset the water quality for residents by flushing them(you know from putrid black to nice and clear)before we fill our appliances.
It disturbs the sediment in our ageing waterpipes so not allowed.
:-D
-
SA water is the go,and we should not be flushing hydrants while we have water restrictions that came out with the new level 3 from CFS restrictions last month.
-
yep it's SA Water. Had similar problems in areas like Aldgate a while ago. The group hassled SA Water for ages about it but nothing was done, they wanted CFS people to go around and check them all and report individual ones that needed work! A story appeared in the local paper (the courier) about it, you can imagine how it went: your house is on fire but CFS can't find a hydrant or get water out of it etc etc. SA Water went around and fixed them all up after that, and did a good job of it (pity they didn't do that in the first place but anyway).
-
There is an appropriate form to fill out to send to sa water for repairs of hydrants and replacement of blue reflective markers. See your regional hq.
-
SA water is the go,and we should not be flushing hydrants while we have water restrictions that came out with the new level 3 from CFS restrictions last month.
Drought or no drought, i dont wanna be filling up our truck without flushing the hydrant first. All it takes is for a stone to get into the pump and all hell can break loose.
-
sorry i ment to say we should not be testing plugs/hydrants other than for use on refilling the appliances or at a working job.... :roll:
-
Did anyone else get the tap fitting that goes on the standpipe?? we did, but you still use a few litres of water to fill the standpipe
-
we did
-
I I think we got the tap.
I was trained to when sinking a stand pipe
a) try and pull up the closest cover if that doesn't work call for the sledge hammer while you run down to the next location and try that plate cover don't be afraid to get out 64mms
b) if you re having great difficulty tell the next arriving appliance to stop and sink a standpipe whilst sending their BA operators to the incident (assuming they are required)
-
Get a SAMFS style plate cover lifter :wink:
-
Could you please explain these or show a pic?
-
The device next to the standpipe on the left hand side.
-
Thanks that's what i assumed it would be like or similar to a stake remover. If it would fit on the truck it would be great.
-
That is the older one. There is a newer one that fits on the water trolleys we carry but I dont have a photo of it. It is more compact and lighter than the big one.
-
We have the plate cover lifters on all our appliances :wink:
-
Another drama with hydrants is the lack of pressure you get from them in certain places. Makes it a bit hard to get a decent supply of water when you get a decent job. Thats after you have dug up someones front lawn to find the plate..lol.
-
well athol,stop watering your garden when theres a fire.... :lol:.. but yoyr right time SAWATER upgraded some mains in country towns..Did you know that there is a AUST STANDARD for hydrants and ground plug's??? But SA does not follow it.....
-
First time i saw an SA standpipe i thought 'what the?' I'd much rather use the standard standpipe, easier to use.
-
Any ideas on where to get an "Appropriate Form" to tell them to do their job ??
Maybe I will set up a company and get government/local council/concerned individuals, to come out and clear their hydrants and make sure their house can be put out if its on fire
Hey, that ideas copywrite, hands off...
LOL :-D
-
I know at least one street that had to be checked every year, after a Neighbourhood Watch meeting rallied together, I think maybe the local Member was involved too.
Moral as always Footy "squeaky wheel gets the oil".
I suggest you put your squeak in writing, and have several others in your street sign it too....
-
well, its lucky that I live on a long street, that just happens to be near a primary school
always good place to get things moving.
Teachers are just fantastic at appropriating change...
(and i'm not just saying that cos I'm a chalky...)
-
We checked a hydrant outside a well known pub in the hills years ago, and guess what....it was a foot and a half to the left of the hole.
I really hope a brigade never has to use that one :-P
-
Surely that will be a priority for fixing - can't let the pub burn down!! :-o
-
Then it would be a pub with no beer :-P
-
We have the plate cover lifters on all our appliances :wink:
I think the plate lifter being referred to is the SAMFS spring syle lifter. Quite different to SACFS plate keys and heavy plate lifters.
-
How do you like this hydrant
-
What the-? :?
Where abouts is that SA Firey? Looks like the Adelaide Hills somewhere, nice big old blue gum? Hmmm....wooden marker posts returning from whence they came....at least no one is nicking off with that one in a hurry :lol:
-
We have 3 hydrant out side a High School and a Booster box and they all do not work. So There is about 300 kids in danger and has been reported about 10 times but still not fixed.
-
probably should try and report it to someone higher in the chain :? that sounds damn serious.
-
What the-? :?
Where abouts is that SA Firey? Looks like the Adelaide Hills somewhere, nice big old blue gum? Hmmm....wooden marker posts returning from whence they came....at least no one is nicking off with that one in a hurry :lol:
Main Street Birdwood, Sharn :wink:
-
Main Street Birdwood, Sharn :wink:
Ah, should have guessed by the bark at the base - clearly a Birdwood Eucalyptus leucoxylon ssp leucoxylon. LOL
Did this hydrant thread get resolved? What is the appropriate way to go about requests for fixing? I hear so many stories about dodgy / misaligned / broken / unidentifiable / bituminised plugs, its a wonder we find any water at all for going house fires :|
-
I would like to get one up here that I could complain about. 22Kms from the CBD and no mains water...........
Ashes
-
Difference being that for that area you are prepared for a complete lack of water and are already responding tankers and such for a going job. In the middle of an urban area you expect a hydrant or a plug to do its thing. Or maybe I've just answered my own question - never rely on them, call for the second appliance to get water reagrdless LOL :lol:
-
REMOVED 18-07-08
-
nah it would be the job of SA Water to fix those hydrants on the road. Whats the situation with them now Backburn? fixed yet? HANG ON...this thread is a YEAR old...haha....FIXED YET?!
-
REMOVED 18-07-08
-
Not all hydrants are SA Water.... in the adjoining area to my brigade is one (we don't have any!) is a privately owned hydrant.....
We have no SA Water mains in the bulk of the area....actually, we have bugger all mains water of any sort in the area!!
At least this year, the dams are full....!
Pip
-
Did this hydrant thread get resolved? What is the appropriate way to go about requests for fixing? I hear so many stories about dodgy / misaligned / broken / unidentifiable / bituminised plugs, its a wonder we find any water at all for going house fires :|
I reported a bunch of defective FPs in our area a few years ago.
SA Water referred me to United Water - said that operation of the network had been
contracted out. United didn't want to accept it at first - said that FPs weren't
included in the contract. This was fairly shortly after SA Water started contracting
out to United, so there were a few little items not sorted.
In the end, United depot up Birdood/Oakbank way took the complaint & fixed most of
the FPs. =Wouldn't= fix any of the ones which required major surgery & shutting off
the trunk main. But we got 16 out of 20 unusable FPs back on-line in just a few weeks.
The other 4 had useable FPs within a hundred metres, and are mostly on blind bends in
the middle of the road.... so we can live with that.
Cheers
-
ah the woodside SA water Depot?? I believe u would be referring to SA Water, didn't know United Water do stuff outside the Greater Metro Area.
-
nah it would be the job of SA Water to fix those hydrants on the road. Whats the situation with them now Backburn? fixed yet? HANG ON...this thread is a YEAR old...haha....FIXED YET?!
hahahahaha fixed yet no way they say not there job they have been like it for over three years
-
hmm...it is there job.....they are just slack...
-
REMOVED 18-07-08