5/27/2008 - NEWS RELEASE
City of Portland
389 Congress Street
Portland, Maine 04101
www.portlandmaine.gov
CONTACT: Nicole Clegg, 207-756-8173, 207-272-4477 (cell) nicoleclegg@portlandmaine.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2008

Portland Fire Department Reminds Residents that Fire Hydrants Cannot Be Painted

PORTLAND, Maine – In response to a growing number of fire hydrants discovered to have been painted without authorization, the Portland Fire Department reminds the community that painting their neighborhood fire hydrant is forbidden without permission from the Portland Water District. The color coding for fire hydrants is specifically designed to aid the Fire Department in responding to an emergency.

“The Fire Department depends upon well maintained fire hydrants to fight fires, and we certainly appreciate the help we receive from members of the community to keep the hydrants clear during the winter,” stated Captain David Jackson of the Rosemont Station, which houses Ladder 3 and Medcu 3. “While it might be tempting to paint a fire hydrant in your neighborhood, Portland residents need to understand that the fire department depends upon the information conveyed to them through the color coding system so that we can make the best decisions possible when fighting a fire.”

The main barrel of the hydrant is painted a shade of yellow unique to Portland Water District hydrants. This easily identifiable color informs the fire department that the hydrant is connected to the Portland Water District system and thus guarantees that there will be an excellent water supply to fight a fire.

The bonnet, the top of the hydrant which includes the nut that is used to turn the hydrant on and off, is painted with a special reflective paint that enables a fire crew to spot the hydrant quickly at night.

Finally, the rim at the bottom of the bonnet is painted with a color coding system regulated by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to inform the fire department of the water flow specific to that hydrant. This national standard provides critical information immediately to the fire department as they fight a fire. A red rim indicates 500 gallons per minute (gpm), orange 500-1000 gpm, green 1000-1500 gpm and blue indicates 1500 gpm or greater.

The Portland Water District is in the middle of a three year contract to repaint its fire hydrants. The fire hydrants in Portland are expected to be repainted by the water district next year.

An example of a fire hydrant repainted without authorization (silver and purple) can be located on Woodford Street near the intersection with Highland Street.

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