HEAT educates residents on hydrant safety

The Hydrant Education Action Team, or HEAT, is educating residents about how to safely use fire hydrants. The group of teens handed out flyers, fans, and talked to people about the issue. They say

News 12 Staff

Jul 9, 2015, 7:54 PM

Updated 3,224 days ago

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HEAT educates residents on hydrant safety
The Hydrant Education Action Team, or HEAT, is educating residents about how to safely use fire hydrants.
The group of teens handed out flyers, fans, and talked to people about the issue. They say it's especially important to educate people in the Bronx because it has historically seen unusually high reports of unauthorized hydrant use during heat waves.
Experts say opening up a fire hydrants illegally can spew out more than 1,000 gallons of water per minute. It can cost the person responsible up to $1,000 in fines and or 30 days in prison.
Illegally opened hydrants can also make it tougher for firefighters to put out fires, and the strong force of water can even knock over and injure young children on the sidewalk.
The HEAT team is also reminding residents that hydrants can be legally opened by using a city-approved spray cap. The cap is available for free at local firehouses. Experts say that cap only lets out about 20 gallons of water per minute.
 


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