Dry Hydrant Drill An Essential Skill in Katonah's Fire District
 
By Ex Chief Dean W. Pappas
September 21, 2021
 

Katonah Fire Department holds weekly drills on a variety of topics. However, one of the most important topics is dry hydrants. These are basically pipes that are sunk into area ponds and lakes. Fire Engines then attach suction hoses to these pipes, and pull a draft. That is, they pull the water from the water source, up the pipe, into the pumper, which then sprays the water either through a large deck gun or through hoses. Unlike regular fire hydrants, there is no pressure coming from the hydrant. It is up to the pump operator to get the water from the water source to the pumper and then to the fire. As about two thirds of the Katonah Fire District is outside of regular pressurized fire hydrants, mastering the skill of getting water from a dry hydrant is an incredibly important fire skill to learn. There are several dry hydrants strategically located around those parts of our fire district that do not have regular pressurized fire hydrants. Monday night's drill tested dry hydrants on Katonah's Wood Road and Edgewood Road.

 
Units: Engine 115, Car 2213