There is a need in both the military and public sectors to upgrade existing, older-generation fire hydrants with a new-generation system which is corrosion-resistant and also helps to prevent deliberate injection of chemical/biological contaminants into the drinking water systems. Unfortunately, it is very common for many hydrants to be internally severely corroded enough that they will not operate at a critical time—during a fire. This inoperability is caused by corrosion of the older cold-rolled steel stems to such an extent that the fire fighter is unable to open the hydrant's water valve. As part of the Army and Department of Defense (DOD) Corrosion Program, 90 older-generation corroded (and difficult to open) fire hydrants of various brand names, models, and vintages have been upgraded with a new-generation retrofit system at a major Army installation. The innovative, but off-the-shelf product requires no expensive excavation and promises to be reliable, economical, and corrosion-resistant since the main component is manufactured of series 304 stainless steel. A demonstration and evaluation project is underway and will conclude in March 2012.
The United States (U.S.) Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM) and the U.S. Army Chief of Staff for Installation Management (ACSIM) consider firefighting readiness to be a critical priority to protect the Army's vast investment in people and property. Military personnel, their families, and the entire installation's workforce must be provided with a protected working environment. In addition, mission-critical electronic hardware, infrastructure, vehicles, and other equipment must be protected from fire disasters. Thus, providing reliable fire hydrants for firefighting at Department of Defense (DOD) facilities is critical to mission execution. Unfortunately, it is common for many fire hydrants to be internally corroded enough not to operate when needed most—during a fire. This hydrant inoperability occurs because the older-generation, cold-rolled steel, corrosion-prone valve stem within the hydrant becomes corroded to such an extent that the fire fighter is not able to open the hydrant's water valve. Hydrant maintenance companies indicate that 35-40 percent of hydrant maintenance (and a large number of hydrant failures) are due to hydrant stem corrosion 1. Figure 1 and Figure 2 provide views of a corroded, cold-rolled steel, internal stem that opens and closes fire hydrant valves. These photographs document that corrosion and rust can damage the internal workings of existing hydrants, rendering them inoperable or very difficult to open. Much of the data related to inoperability of fire hydrants is anecdotal. However, experts have verified the fact that fire hydrants often are not functional due to corrosion problems in the internal workings of the old-fashioned, cold-rolled, rust-prone steel hydrant stems. For example, Mr. Glen Cannon (a former state fire marshal and Director of Response for the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA]), tells of an historic library in a major U.S. city that lost most of its entire second floor (including an archive which predated the founding of the United States) because two hydrants had corroded so badly that the firefighters could not use them.
