Photo submitted by the Lakewood Fire Department

fire-hydrant“Just a reminder from the Lakewood Fire Department that blocking a fire hydrant is not only against the law, but someone’s life may depend on water from that hydrant!”

This photo was taken at the fire scene on Friday.

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21 COMMENTS

  1. The LFD should do better then just submitting pictures! A friend of mine witnessed the same thing in Brooklyn, the the FD arrived they drilled through the driver door and the next door and put the hose through thise holes! Now that was a lesson for all those who saw or heard this story!

  2. This is one area we should be like Brooklyn. Keep the traffic, keep the fumes, keep the sometimes negative attitude. If your blocking a hydrant, break the windows! That will be the last time they ever block a hydrant.

  3. Is there any evidence that it impaired their efforts in any way?? Or it just made it a tad more difficult?? Please let’s be honest not like all the rest of the media

  4. No Parking By any Fire hydrant people like these are selfish I don’t know why people like this don’t get tickets PD should get out there and give tickets who cares what people say give tickets that’s the only way people will learn on this “City” #isupportlpd

  5. The concept of restricting tens of thousands of parking spots for the one in a million chance that there will be a fire there and it will take a extra 7 seconds to run a hose is ludicrous.
    The only reason the law still exists is to fill city coffers with ticket money

  6. ANON,
    Your missing the point. It almost sounds like you’re saying it’s OK to park in front of a hydrant as long as it doesn’t hinder operations.. as if you can know that when you decide to park in front of the hydrant!?
    Here’s why you should never park in front of a fire hydrant. Far more than just a convenience, that area in front of the hydrant allows critical access to the 5 inch diameter opening for the main water supply line. The goal is to get a lot of water, fast, at the highest pressure possible so the engines can adequately supply the fire fighters with the water pressure they need and be able to feed multiple lines as necessary. The 3 inch openings on the side of the hydrants are for additional back up when needed and are rarely used as a main supply line.
    On Friday luckily the fire was contained relatively quickly. Had the fire grown and required a proper supply line that would have necessitated finding another hydrant further away. The further the hydrant, the less available water, as pressure is lessened, sometimes considerably, due to friction loss, the distance, and rise of the ground if any.
    As for those calling to break the car windows, that is neither practical or nor a useful suggestion.
    Nevermind the damage it can do to the hose if it caches any broken glass and which fire fighter wants to go into a burning structure with a potentially compromised line only to find out that he lost his water source to a damaged hose.
    Practically speaking, the hose would have to make a right angle turn to cross through the vehicle’s window (see the picture). That would create a kink way too large to deal with resulting in a very diminished water supply. As for “bouncing” the vehicle, as some would suggest, that requires manpower that is needed elsewhere and room to “bounce” the vehicle to which would just block the road and access for emergency vehicles. Those that have “seen” this done before, if even true and not just a photoshopped image, don’t realise that they were operating in a severely limited situation and they shouldn’t be fooled by the optics.
    The message is simple.
    NEVER park in front of a hydrant. Someone’s life can be put in greater danger when your vehicle is blocking a hydrant. Maybe even yours?

  7. Levi j
    That shows the law is baloney. If they had time to drill 2 holes through someone’s windows then there’s plenty of time to walk around the car and attach the hose. It probably costs 3 seconds on the clock to do that. And anyway meanwhile they have water in the truck to use until they connect

  8. Hey ANON read jbw’s comment. The large outlet on the hydrant is the one that needs to be used. The reason the FDNY cut holes in the car was to allow the large hose to go straight into the hydrant and not kink the hose.
    It takes a minimum of 3, 3inch supply lines to equal 1, 5inch supply.
    All I can say is that I am thankful you and people that think like you are not members of the Fire Department, this town would burn to the ground.

  9. I can’t believe I’m reading some of the comments correctly. When a hydrant is blocked, it’s not a difference of just a few seconds. Aside from having to use a smaller hose, it takes considerable more time to hook it up when the truck is 10 feet away. I hope those making the ludicrous comments about how it’s only to raise money from tickets or it’s only a few seconds, so what’s the big deal, are never in need of the fire department, because they’ll realize very quickly how every second counts. Aside from the people living in the house, the bigger the fire, the more risk there is to the firemen, G-d should bless them & watch over them.

  10. The comments here are absolutely ridiculous! The reason this car didn’t have its windows broken was because it was quickly decided that the front of the hydrant was not needed! If this had been any other new construction in Lakewood this would have been a 3600 + sqft house and the entire hydrant would have been utilized! The fact that someone would have the audacity to actually think there’s a bet or wager as to the chances a hydrant might even be needed and that it’s a money maker for a city is absolutely reckless and absurd!
    If this was your house and your families life depended on having access to a hydrant would you still feel the same!
    PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF A FIRE HYDRANT! Think of others in need!

  11. Nobody is need. There is a tiny chance that they might be in need. If it was that important, why not put a hydrant in front of every house, just in case there is someone in need. It is impossible to worry about tiny chances. We can’t do anything if every tiny chance holds us back

    The law has to be followed, even if it is ludicrous. But the law does not make something less ludicrous.

  12. It looks like the person had parking options that were legal. Why didn’t he avail himself of those. We live in a land and follow the laws of the land. Otherwise pick a different place and follow their rules.

  13. Hesh…You obviously never had a fire in your house…coming from someone who had a fire in their house, every second is critical. Fire hydrants are placed at specific spots in order to reach the entire area. When I had a fire 3 hydrants were utilized and any extra seconds would have caused even more damage than was already done! DON’T park in front of a hydrant…I hope u never have to experience what it’s like to lose everything!

  14. Its not the cost per year of the hydrant its the cost to install the hydrant that is where the cost is, and the maintenance, and upkeep. It may be 450 a year to have it there..but there is a bigger cost overall…come on people just park somewhere else..What is your life worth?? lLike my life my brothers and sisters lives are Priceless

  15. I feel like people really need to be more sensitive to others when parking. I see it time and time again. This is obviously one example. But just yesterday when I returned to my car I saw that a van parked over the line near my car, leaving me about 8 inches to get in. What they must’ve not known is that I’m 8 months pregnant and had to get a toddler into a car seat on that side. They didn’t take the extra minute to back out of the spot and park correctly, thus making me exert a lot of effort and take a lot of time to get into the car. Think before you do things how it might affect others. There is a reason for (well, almost) all parking rules, such as no parking by hydrants, no blocking driveways, and parking within the lines in a parking lot.

  16. To number 18 “me” – “Just wondering. If the 5 inch supply line is so critical, why don’t they put the opening on the other side – the side that faces the sidewalk?”

    The engines that need to connect to the hydrant generally use the street for access, we wouldn’t want them to start riding up on people’s lawns – you’ll still have the parked cars to deal with, so it makes sense to have the connection face the engine rather than away from it. A direct route from the hydrant to the engine, as opposed to the required 180 degree bend, means less kinking and more flexibility as to where you can place the engine. Adding extra length of hose to snake around cars and reach the opposite side of the hydrant can make a difference between reaching the hydrant or not in some cases. The FD is far better off with hooks ups facing the street and avoiding having to find an adequate position for the engine to compensate for parked cars.

    When all is said and done, just don’t park in front of the hydrant. It’s not that big a deal. That some people are so adamant about the need to incessantly complain about the right or not to park there is ridiculous. Those men and women who arrive to help are not involved in any conspiracy to rob you of your parking spot, nor are they trying to fill the city’s coffers, like they benefit from that. Just live and let be. Assuming you are law abiding and haven’t been parking in front of hydrants than obviously you can live with it.

Comments are closed.