Fire Hydrant Testing, Acceptance & Maintenance

Section 3 - FIRE PREVENTION

PURPOSE:

To establish a guideline for the testing, acceptance, and maintenance of fire hydrants within the City limits of Maitland.

This procedure is to be followed for all public and private fire hydrants. This guideline is applicable to all members of the Department involved in these activities. Authority to deviate from this procedure rests with the Fire Marshal, Fire Chief or their designee, who is solely responsible for the results of any deviation.

PROCEDURE:

• Testing and Acceptance of New Fire Hydrants:
  • Testing and acceptance of new fire hydrants, public or private, will be accomplished by the Fire Marshal or his/her designee. Tests will be accomplished per the guidelines established in NFPA 291, Recommended Practice for Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants, as adopted in the Florida Fire Prevention Code, current edition.
  • Testing should be made during a period of ordinary demand. Testing should also consist of discharging water at a measured rate of flow from the hydrant(s) designated for acceptance testing and observations of the corresponding pressure drop in the mains shall be made and recorded.
  • Pressure data gathered during testing shall be utilized to calculate the discharge results in gallons per minute. The calculation methods used shall be those listed in the applicable edition of NFPA 291.
  • Pressure readings and flow data will be forwarded to Maitland Public Works Water Department via e-mail for record. In addition an estimate of the amount of water flowed during testing will be included with the test data.
  • Maitland Public Works Water Department will assign a hydrant tracking number to all new hydrants, log their location and the number into the data base, and will stamp mark all new hydrants with their individual tracking number.
  • Once the discharge flow has been established, the installer will be instructed by the Fire Marshal as to the color coding of the large “steamer” port cap. Color coding shall be as outlined in Section 5.1, NFPA 291. In addition, to the color coding for calculated flow, public fire hydrant bodies will be painted silver and privately owned fire hydrant bodies will be painted red in accordance with Sec. 6-16 (p), Maitland City Code of Ordinance.
• Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Existing Fire Hydrants
  • Inspection, testing, and maintenance of existing public fire hydrants will be accomplished by fire rescue personnel as prescribed per Florida Statute 633, s. 633.082.
  • Fire Rescue personnel shall be trained in test procedures set forth in NFPA 25, Standard for the Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, as adopted in the Florida Fire Prevention Code, current edition.
  • At least once each year fire hydrants shall be fully opened and flowed for a minimum of one (1) minute.
  • Hydrants shall be lubricated annually to insure all stems, caps, plugs, and threads are in proper operating condition.
  • Fire hydrants found to be in need of servicing or repair will be reported to the Maitland Public Works Water Department via e-mail and will be identified with an approved label or placard attached to the hydrant.
  • Inspection, testing, and maintenance of existing privately owned fire hydrants will be accomplished by certificate holder of a fire protection system Contractor I, Contractor II, or Contractor V or permittees employed by the certificate holder as prescribed per Florida Statute 633, s. 633.082 and pursuant to Florida Statute 633, s. 633.521
  • Reports of the inspection, testing, and maintenance conducted by a certificate holder or permittees employed by the certificate holder shall be provided to the building owner or fire hydrant owner and Maitland Fire Rescue as prescribed in Florida Statute 633, 633.082.
  • Fire hydrants found to be in need of servicing or repair will be addressed by the property or fire hydrant owner or their certificated Contractor. Fire hydrants which are nonfunctional shall be tagged with a red tag stating “Nonfunctional” and shall be immediately reported to the Maitland Fire Rescue Department.
  • For those hydrants which are reported to the Maitland Fire Rescue Department as in need of service or repair, the Fire Marshal will follow up with the property or hydrant owner to insure corrective actions are taken and the water supply is maintained in full working condition.