Columbia residents have been noticing fire hydrants being painted several colors lately.
Fire Chief Jeff McKenzie said the changes are for a good reason.
“If you haven’t noticed, in many areas of the city, fire hydrants are being painted in the colors that have been set by the ratings bureau,” he said. “They are designed to signify the water flow for each of them. The blue color signifies that a hydrant will put out 1,500 gallons (per minute) or more, the green signifies 1,000 to 1,499, the orange – 500 to 999 and red is below 500.”
Alderman-at-Large Edward Hough asked McKenzie about the designations at Tuesday’s meeting.
“So you’ve got a house fire; what’s the minimum?” he asked. “Will that red be enough water to put out a house fire?”
McKenzie said it would.
“For residential fires, red or orange is fine,” he said. “Most of the time, you’re going to pull of two inch and ¾ lines and your operator will know how to handle it. We’re working on painting them all now.”
Mayor Justin McKenzie said the color coding coupled with replacement of hydrants that the board approved in August should help the city’s fire rating, which currently stands at a Class 6.
“We got blue markers that go in the road and with the replacement bid, as soon as the work is done, we’re calling the ratings bureau,” he said. “The sooner the better. We will be ready to move forward.”
Obtaining a Class 5 would mean more savings for homeowners when it comes to insurance. Moving to a Class 4, however, would be more difficult.
“Once we do this, we will be about half way to a Class 4,” the mayor said. “But I’ll tell you what it would take to get to a Class 4; it would take three more firefighters per shift and a ladder truck. If we had a ladder truck and had it staffed, you would have a Class 4 fire rating in the city of Columbia.”
Chief McKenzie said a Class 4 rating would significantly impact industrial areas.
“It would really help them with their insurance rates,” he said.
Hough said he noticed the color coding for hydrants in other communities.
Chief McKenzie said two of the city’s three pumper trucks were capable of pumping 1,250 gallons-per-minute and one 1,500.
“The trucks will take everything that the hydrants can give,” he said.
The Board also approved the hiring of Chandler Moore, a former city firefighter, as a full-time, non-certified firefighter.
