Several times a year we are dispatched outside of the City limits for a structure fire. Unfortunately, our municipal water supply stops at the City limits so we must use utilize tanker trucks to transport water to the scene of a fire. There times when the Fire Department will drive back to the City hydrant for water and other times we will draft water from a water source. That source can be a lake or river or even your backyard swimming pool. Setting up a truck to draft water can take time so some groups and individuals around Steuben County have installed dry hydrants to help with drafting.
A dry hydrant is an unpressurized pipe that extends from the road out into a body of water. The end that is in the water has a screen to prevent obstructions from entering the pipe. The end that is placed near the road has a fitting that we can connect our fire trucks to and draft water.
If you would like to know more about dry hydrants, including where to install one and cost associated with it, contact the Angola Fire Station at 260-665-5555.