SA Firefighter
General Discussion => SA Firefighter General => Topic started by: bajdas on May 07, 2008, 11:03:06 AM
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I have noticed in the Adelaide metropolitan area that new blue cats eye markers have been installed on the road surface near water outlet covers. I assume this is a better replacement than fire posts near the kerbs. The metal road covers have also been painted in the centre with reflective yellow paint.
Is this being installed in the country areas (eg major towns) ?
Are you finding this effective in locating the nearest water supply at incidents ?
From a non fire fighter person, it seems a great idea that is a simple system & requires minimal maintenance. The only negative is when I ride a motorbike it is another road surface hazard to miss. But that is minor.
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The blue cats eyes have been in for a while now, and they are an additional measure i belive, so not instead of fire posts but as well as.
Also, I think that this is actually becoming (or has become) a national standard.
I think most towns now have cats eyes to mark hydrants. Mt Gambier was one of the original towns trialling this i believe?
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I have also noted the use of bright blue flexible roadside posts with blue reflective strips on them. Used on dirt roads, where cats eyes aren't appropriate. Stand out very well, day and night.
My understanding is that the red/white markers, although not being deliberately removed per se, are not being replenished when they are damaged/vandalised/wear out, and that eventually the blue markers will displace the red/white ones completely. Again, that is MY understanding.
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The blue cat's eyes are great when they are first installed but after a while they tend to come of the road and it take's SA water far too long to replace. There is an AUST STANDARD for the marking of fire plugs/hydrants but for some reason SA WATER does not follow it...
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The blue cat's eyes are great when they are first installed but after a while they tend to come of the road and it take's SA water far too long to replace. There is an AUST STANDARD for the marking of fire plugs/hydrants but for some reason SA WATER does not follow it...
Its always a complaint with you, hey Blinky!! :-D
I think they work well, but with what Bill said the posts are important too. Also in Adelaide metro areas the coverplate is painted yellow. Makes it easier when there is 5 0r 6 coverplates in one spot.
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I have also noted the use of bright blue flexible roadside posts with blue reflective strips on them. Used on dirt roads, where cats eyes aren't appropriate. Stand out very well, day and night.....
I have not seen the blue posts even on a recent trips to Yorke & Fleurieu Peninsula's.
Will the posts be added to roadside farm/council water points so you can locate them quickly (esp for vehicles responding from outside the local area) ? Or is this not necessary ?
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Welcome to 04' (or atleast some years ago)! Glad you could join the party.
They are a great idea, and certainly help with the locating of water sources in the dark. As for being an Aust. Standard... No.
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The only issue that I have is that in a couple of cases, the blue cats eye markers have been placed where a fire plug is supposed to be, but there is no access lid to be found, or the lid is there, but the plug is a good two inches in a different direction to the lid.
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These have been around for some years - (Devonport Tce Propsect has had them for at least 10 years!)
I am not sure what the specific requirements are re the placement of the cats eye, in relation to the hydrant, but from what I have seen, the eyes are not strictly beside the hydrant......
As for not seeing them in Country areas - many of the country towns either don't have mains water, don't have hydrants, or they water system is a private system, and the private operators (or in some cases cooperatives) haven't added the eyes.
On bitumen roads, it is certainly easier to find a cats eye in the middle of the road, than it is to try and locate the post tucked away under the nearby trees, on dark roads at night (which is what my brigade training was on Monday!)
Pip
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On YP the blue cats eyes have been around for quite a while. Recently there has been contractors painting cover plates and the edge of the roadway, by the gutter, with reflective yellow. This is obviously designed to alert motorists not to park over hydrants.
Hair
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Have them here in Penola and have done for a bit of time now but haven't paid any attention to the durability
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I have also noted the use of bright blue flexible roadside posts with blue reflective strips on them. Used on dirt roads, where cats eyes aren't appropriate. Stand out very well, day and night.....
I have not seen the blue posts even on a recent trips to Yorke & Fleurieu Peninsula's.
Will the posts be added to roadside farm/council water points so you can locate them quickly (esp for vehicles responding from outside the local area) ? Or is this not necessary ?
These blue posts have been up in the Nuriootpa area for about 10 months now, haven't noticed them elsewhere so perhaps they are only a trial. Seen them on the Barossa Valley Highway so not just limited to dirt roads.
I must admit it would have been nice to be told they were coming thou! :evil:
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We where told they where comming over 2 years ago and have had them around for well over 14 months. not new for us :-D
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The only issue that I have is that in a couple of cases, the blue cats eye markers have been placed where a fire plug is supposed to be, but there is no access lid to be found, or the lid is there, but the plug is a good two inches in a different direction to the lid.
Report 'em to SA water and they should (hopefully) fix it.
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Report 'em to SA water and they should (hopefully) fix it.
They will come & fix it. Eventually.
Up our way is a trunk main with cathodic protection measuring points every 200M or so.
These are a matchstick with an orange head instead of a red head.
The cats eyes installers couldn't tell the difference so they marked all these as well.
It took about 6-8 weeks, but they did come back & remove all the wrongly applied cats eyes.
cheers