NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2012
SUBJECT: Volunteers help to paint fire hydrants in colors of distinction
CONTACT: Lynn Onstot, Public Information Officer
417-624-0820, ext. 204
Joplin fire hydrants are getting a fresh coat of paint – and not necessarily the traditional colors some would expect to be on hydrants.
With nearly 5,000 hydrants throughout the city, residents will begin to see various colors on hydrants as part of coding system of the water flow of the hydrant. Hydrants will be painted in one of four colors that identify the flow of water in one minute. This coding system helps firefighters during emergencies to quickly determine the pressure of water that will be thrown on a fire.
Hydrants that deliver 0 to 500 gallons of water in a minute will be painted red. Yellow hydrants show that the flow is over 500 to 1000 gallons of water per minute, while green hydrants identify the flow to be over 1,000 to 1,500 gallons of water per minute. Any hydrant that puts out over 1,500 gallons of water per minute will be blue. The water flow is determined based on the size of the water main in the area surrounding the hydrant(s),
“This effort will help the City reduce its ISO rating and to assist firefighters at emergency scenes” said Fire Chief Mitch Randles.
An ISO rating details a fire department’s capability in helping to prevent a fire from happening, as well as, in their ability to minimize damage should one occur. Water supplies are just one of several categories reviewed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) in determining a rating for a municipality. Others include 9-1-1 emergency communications, department training, response times, equipment and record keeping.
Randles also wants to remind residents that by City ordinance that citizens are not allowed painting fire hydrants themselves. Volunteers are helping to paint the fire hydrants under the City’s direction. The City asks motorists to please use caution as they approach these work areas. The City is work with AmeriCorps St. Louis to assign those volunteers who have come to the area to assist the area in rebuilding and recovery efforts.
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Lynn Iliff Onstot
Public Information Officer
City of Joplin
602 South Main
Joplin, MO 64801
417-624-0820, ext. 204
417-438-2287 Cell