Fire fighting is an integral part of most societies as without the ability to combat fires they would do much more damage than they do at present. In the past many different methods have been used to fight fires but the development of hydrant testing equipment has made fire fighting a much easier and more successful task.
Fire fighters have been around for a long time and the UK fire service has existed as an institution for well over one hundred years. Originally fire fighters carried water on their trucks and had to fight fire with buckets or any items that could carry water.
When the industrial revolution occurred it led to a revolution in all sorts of other ways. For example new homes were built with running water which came from within an intricate plumbing system which ran all over the country.
In the US fire fighters realised quickly how useful this new water source could be as a tool for fighting fire and came up with the idea of using fire hydrants.
Fire hydrants are placed on streets and are connected to the main water supply for an area. A fireman’s hose can be attached to the fire hydrant and water is then expelled from the hose in high volumes and at incredible pressures.
This means that in the event of a fire the source of the blaze can be attacked as quickly as possible. Fire hydrants are particularly helpful for fighting fires in busy or built up areas because they make attacking the fire so much easier.
However, without fire hydrant testing equipment using fire hydrants correctly and to maximum effect would be very difficult, if not impossible.
Any damage, blockage or cracking within plumbing systems can cause a significant loss of pressure which could have serious consequences if a hydrant needs to be used. Fire fighters need to know that when they attach a fire hose to a hydrant they will get access to desperately needed water.
Fire hydrant testing equipment is used to ensure that a fire hydrant is in good working order. Fire hydrant testing equipment works by assessing the water pressure within a hydrant. If the water pressure is too low or less than would be expected than the person testing it can investigate further.
Low water pressure could be caused by a number of factors and a qualified person will have the appropriate skills and knowledge to be able to ascertain why a hydrant may be broken or not functioning as well as it should be.
Fire hydrants need to be tested on a regular basis to ensure that they are working well. If hydrants are tested on a regular basis this lessens the risk of a hydrant malfunctioning when it is put to use by a fire fighter.
Water is the most effective tool that we can use to fight fire and so fire hydrants are essential within cities and towns to ensure that, in the event of a fire, fire fighters can get to the root of the blaze as quickly as possible and put the fire out.
The quicker a fire can be put out, the less damage it will cause and the less likely it is that the fire will result in injury or death for the public.