A couple of reminders about using a traditional fire hydrant as a dry fire hydrant. Some folks use the traditional dry barrel fire hydrant as a dry fire hydrant because of its valved control. This sometimes occurs when the hydrant is located at or below the level of the water source. We've encountered a number of these installations during our travels and the valve allows control of the flow so that the pumper can connect and disconnect. The head pressure is generally too low to support normal pumping operations so the pumper connects using traditional suction hose.

Sometimes the traditional dry barrel fire hydrant is used simply because of its availability or because of its sturdiness against harsh climate and users. In those cases, there often is no valve in the ground, just an open run of pipe to the water source. Regardless of the type of installation, regular inspection and maintenance are really important to ensure the "air tightness" of the hydrant outlet caps.