The folks in Rockingham County, Virginia have been working to improve their water supply coverage throughout the County. Thus far, their efforts have included a combination of traditional fire hydrants and dry fire hydrants strategically located throughout the County. Rockingham County is comprised of about 900 square miles of mostly rural area. To date, forty dry fire hydrants have been installed. Each dry hydrant is tested twice a year by fire department personnel.
Many of the dry fire hydrants that have been installed were funded by the Virginia Department of Forestry's Dry Hydrant Grant program. About 15 years ago a bill was introduced to take $150,000 of road fuel tax funds to provide grants state wide. About 100 grants are given every year.
Captain Mike Armstrong, Assistant Fire Marshal, Rockingham County Fire & Rescue worked with County GIS folks to develop a "hydrant buffer" map. With ISO using a three square mile factor, Captain Armstrong used a 1.75-mile radius. All existing fire hydrants and dry fire hydrants are posted on the buffer map and efforts are underway to "fill in the holes."
Here is the link to the Department of Forestry grant program.
We thank Captain Mike Armstrong for sharing this information.
This GIS-generated map serves as an excellent planning tool for future development of fire protection water supplies.
This dry fire hydrant was installed as part of a construction project at a local church (building addition) in order to meet the required fire flow. Note the 8” pipe reduced to 6”, the total length is about 120’ to the water source. The County Fire Marshal Office requires these DFHs to be engineered to provide 1,000 GPM from draft.
The FD conducting an acceptance test on a DFH required for a bed and breakfast.
