GeoTRIVIA: Fall 2011

Fire hydrants are painted different colors to allow firefighters to identify the flow rate of any fire hydrant quickly. Knowing the flow rate tells them how much water the hydrant can provide for firefighting operations.

The four basic colors are red, yellow, green, and blue. The table below indicates the respective flow rates.

	Red fire hydrants have a flow rate less than 500 gallons per minute.
	Orange fire hydrants have a flow rate between 500 and 999 gallons per minute.
	Green fire hydrants have a flow rate between 1,000 and 1,499 gallons per minute.
	Blue or light blue fire hydrants have a flow rate of 1,500 gallons per minute or higher.

Source: www.nfpa.org

The LOCATION® Fire Station Type Service recognizes the following four fire station types:

• "O": On-Duty — All firefighters are on-duty, in or around the station and/or ready for immediate response.
• "P": Public Safety — All firefighters are on-duty, but may be performing other civic duties and may not be in or around the fire station during their working hours. When a fire call comes in, they suspend their other duties and respond to the fire call.
• "V": Volunteer — Firefighters don't receive salaries, are typically not on-duty at a fire station, and serve as volunteers.
• "C": Combination — Firefighters are a mix of the other types. The response to a fire involves volunteers combined with either on-duty and/or public safety personnel.

The answer isn't as straightforward as you may think. Here's a timeline of some department highlights. You can be the judge.

• By the mid-1600s, New York had a volunteer "rattle watch" — named after the wooden rattles they used to rouse the people — who patrolled the streets at night. If someone discovered a fire, the watch would sound an alarm and help organize bucket brigades.
• As early as 1678, Boston had some firefighting equipment and a paid crew to maintain it and respond to fires.
• Boston had organizations resembling firefighting "clubs," also known as "mutual fire societies." The city also had "fire wards" going back to 1711.
• As early as 1731, there is a record of New York City purchasing fire apparatus.
• Ben Franklin organized the first (volunteer) fire department company in Philadelphia around 1736. The department started as a club or co-op to protect city homes in the event of a fire.

Colorado. Although four other states (Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska) account for 42 percent of the average 3,000 hailstorms a year, Colorado has the most storms with large-size hail greater than 1.5 inches in diameter. Even though Colorado has fewer storms, the storms cause more damage. Regions prone to hailstorms tend to have higher property premiums.

The risk of property damage across the nation varies from a low value of 1 in the Southeast to a high of 50 in Colorado and Kansas. The risk of crop damage varies from a low of 1 in the eastern Midwest and East to a high of 20 in the western High Plains (Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado).

The IRC isn't effective locally until states adopt it. Only two states — California and Maryland — have made the requirement mandatory so far. In 2009, Maryland reported 44 fire deaths. Since the state adopted the code, there have been 34 reported fire deaths — a 23 percent decrease.
There are many reasons for states to require residential fire sprinklers:

• Homeowners can save 8 to 13 percent on insurance.
• A single sprinkler using 13 to 14 gallons of water can put out 90 percent of fires. A fire hose uses 125 to 500 gallons per minute.
• Sprinklers can save the lives of building occupants and firefighters.
• Sprinklers can substantially reduce property loss caused by fire.
• Sprinklers can offset the risk of premature building collapse, lessening firefighter danger.