orange county fire rescue department board of county commission meeting fire hydrants program june...

Orange County Fire Rescue Orange County Fire Rescue DepartmentDepartment

Board of County Commission Board of County Commission MeetingMeeting

Fire Hydrants ProgramFire Hydrants Program

June 12, 2007June 12, 2007

• History & Florida Statute 633 Requirements

• Inventory Program & Costs• Draft Ordinance & Program Costs• Countywide Adequacy & Program

Costs • Options• Recommendation

Fire Hydrant Program Fire Hydrant Program DiscussionDiscussion

History & Florida Statute 633 Requirements

• On October 10, 2006 Division Chief Thomas Lyon On October 10, 2006 Division Chief Thomas Lyon provided an overview of the circumstances provided an overview of the circumstances surrounding a fatal house fire in the area of surrounding a fatal house fire in the area of Holden Heights.Holden Heights.

• A private hydrant was non-functional at this A private hydrant was non-functional at this incident.incident.

Travoti Street FireJanuary 20, 2006


• A total of 33 Water Utility Companies operate within A total of 33 Water Utility Companies operate within Unincorporated Orange County.Unincorporated Orange County.

• There are approximately 25,000 fire hydrants in Orange There are approximately 25,000 fire hydrants in Orange County.County.

• There are over 12,000 fire hydrants in unincorporated There are over 12,000 fire hydrants in unincorporated Orange County.Orange County.

– 9,800 Public Hydrants9,800 Public Hydrants

– 2,600 Private Hydrants2,600 Private Hydrants


• Public HydrantPublic Hydrant• On public propertyOn public property• Utility companies are Utility companies are

required to test and required to test and maintain public hydrants on maintain public hydrants on their systemtheir system

• Private HydrantPrivate Hydrant• On privately owned propertyOn privately owned property• Private owners responsibility Private owners responsibility

to test and maintainto test and maintain


• The fatal fire prompted Fire Rescue to The fatal fire prompted Fire Rescue to initiate the inventory program in 2 phases.initiate the inventory program in 2 phases.

Phase One:Phase One:

• To develop a task force to immediately To develop a task force to immediately inspect all public and private hydrants in inspect all public and private hydrants in unincorporated Orange County.unincorporated Orange County.

• To make notifications to all public and To make notifications to all public and private water providers. private water providers.


• Ensure that all existing fire Ensure that all existing fire hydrants in unincorporated hydrants in unincorporated Orange County had water and Orange County had water and worked correctly.worked correctly.

• To have all hydrants found inoperable or without water corrected during this process.

• To cross reference the locations of all existing hydrants with our map books.


Phase Two:

• To accurately determine the fixed locations of all public and private hydrants by global positioning system (GPS).

• To create a layer in the geographic information system (GIS) to immediately locate hydrants in an emergency situation.

• To develop a physical labeling system for the identification of all hydrants.


• To develop better communication efforts between departments and share information.

• To initiate the formal inspection process on private hydrants.

• To develop a computer program specifically for hydrant information.

• State Law governing the inspection State Law governing the inspection of hydrantsof hydrants

– State Statute 633.082State Statute 633.082

– Hydrants added July 01, 2006Hydrants added July 01, 2006

– Requires Annual Testing and Requires Annual Testing and Inspection by licensed Inspection by licensed contractor or local governments.contractor or local governments.

– Affects both public and private Affects both public and private hydrantshydrants


OCFRD Inventory Program & Costs

County staff has made huge strides inPhase I & II of the InventoryProgram.

• Fire Rescue has inspected all publicFire Rescue has inspected all public

and private hydrants inand private hydrants in

unincorporated Orange County.unincorporated Orange County.

• OC Utilities has inspected all publicOC Utilities has inspected all public

hydrants in their service area.hydrants in their service area.

• We have developed a hydrantWe have developed a hydrant

numbering system and master file.numbering system and master file.


• Fire Rescue has accurately Fire Rescue has accurately determined the fixed locations and determined the fixed locations and tagged 30% of all hydrants in tagged 30% of all hydrants in unincorporated Orange County by unincorporated Orange County by GPS.GPS.

• The County Utilities Department The County Utilities Department has input all available hydrant data has input all available hydrant data (public and private) in the GIS (public and private) in the GIS systemsystem

• Fire Rescue has begun the formal inspection process on private hydrants.


• County departments and neighboring jurisdictions have developed better communication efforts with regards to hydrants.

• Fire Rescue has notified all public and private Fire Rescue has notified all public and private water providers of their legal responsibilities.water providers of their legal responsibilities.


• County staff found and had corrected nearly 100 hydrants, which were inoperable or without water.

• The Fire Chief has recently put a hold on the hydrant program due to the impending tax reform implications.


• The inventory program costs to date have been approximately $360,000 and an additional 5,400 staff hours.

• Costs to complete the inventory program would be approximately $800,000 and an additional 14,300 staff hours.

Draft Ordinance & Program Costs

• State Law governing the inspections of fire State Law governing the inspections of fire hydrants requires annual inspections, but does not hydrants requires annual inspections, but does not provide for enforcement.provide for enforcement.

• County legal staff has developed a draft hydrant County legal staff has developed a draft hydrant ordinance.ordinance.


• The ordinance establishes inspection fees and The ordinance establishes inspection fees and penalties for hydrant violations, which state penalties for hydrant violations, which state law failed to do.law failed to do.

• County staff continues to conduct inspections of public and private hydrants.

• Orange County Utilities has completed the annual inspections of the public hydrants in its service area.


• County staff has evaluated the staffing and equipment needs to complete and implement the ordinance program.

• The approximate costs of implementation of a hydrant ordinance program is estimated to be $500,000.



• Inventory Program & Costs• Draft Ordinance & Program Costs• Countywide Adequacy & Program Costs • Options• Recommendation

Countywide Adequacy & Program Costs

Adequacy – Adequacy –

• Are there an adequate Are there an adequate number of fire hydrants in number of fire hydrants in unincorporated Orange unincorporated Orange County? County?


When are hydrants required?When are hydrants required?

• State law requires an approved waterState law requires an approved watersupply capable of supplying the required fire flow supply capable of supplying the required fire flow for fire protection to all premises.for fire protection to all premises.

• County Code requires future development to be serviced by a central water system designed and constructed to satisfy the domestic potable, irrigation and fire flow requirements.


Where are hydrants required?Where are hydrants required?

• Within single-family and duplex residential Within single-family and duplex residential subdivisions, in commercial, multi-family and subdivisions, in commercial, multi-family and industrial areas.industrial areas.


Where hydrants are not required:Where hydrants are not required:

• When there is no adequate or reliable water When there is no adequate or reliable water distribution system available, the codes and distribution system available, the codes and county ordinance allows an alternative source county ordinance allows an alternative source to be used. to be used.


• This includes reservoirs, pressure tanks, This includes reservoirs, pressure tanks, elevated tanks, WATER TANKER TRUCKS, and elevated tanks, WATER TANKER TRUCKS, and other approved systems. In areas that have no other approved systems. In areas that have no hydrants, alternative water supply methods hydrants, alternative water supply methods must be used by Orange County Fire Rescuemust be used by Orange County Fire Rescue


Based on a study previously conducted bythe Orange County Utilities Department in itsservice area:

• Providing adequate water lines and fire hydrants to serve areas on wells and retrofitting existing areas to today’s standards would reach amounts of between $500 Million and $1 Billion.

OptionsOptions

Continue or terminate:Continue or terminate:

The hydrant inventory program The hydrant inventory program

• Completing the GPS locating process, the hydrant Completing the GPS locating process, the hydrant numbering system, and the Utilities GIS System @ a numbering system, and the Utilities GIS System @ a cost of $800,000 and 14,300 staff hours.cost of $800,000 and 14,300 staff hours.

OptionsOptions

Continue or terminate:Continue or terminate:

The hydrant ordinanceThe hydrant ordinance

• Completing the hydrant ordinance, Completing the hydrant ordinance, inspections, and enforcement on all public and inspections, and enforcement on all public and private hydrants @ a cost of $500,000.private hydrants @ a cost of $500,000.

OptionsOptions

Continue or terminate:The hydrant adequacy study

• Completing the water distribution systems upgrade and the installation of fire hydrants in the unincorporated areas of the county @ a cost of nearly $1 billion.

• A more detailed third party study isrecommended prior to implementation ofthe program.

RecommendationRecommendation

To delay the hydrant program decisionsTo delay the hydrant program decisions

pending the outcome of the tax reform issue.pending the outcome of the tax reform issue.

Orange County Fire Rescue Orange County Fire Rescue DepartmentDepartment

Board of County Commission Board of County Commission MeetingMeeting

Fire Hydrants ProgramFire Hydrants Program

June 12, 2007June 12, 2007

orange county fire rescue department board of county commission meeting fire hydrants program june...

Documents

hydrants program

public hydrants

private hydrants

unincorporated orange

existing hydrants

history florida statute

private water providers

requirements phase