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ALTADENA, Calif. — Firefighter Ryan Babroff hurried to a nearby hydrant, hoping to connect his hose and douse the massive flames consuming homes in this mountain community northeast of Los Angeles. But when he pried it open, no water came out. The hydrant was empty. The longtime Cal Fire volunteer said he encountered at least four dry hydrants as he tried to battle the Eaton Fire in Altadena on Wednesday. Fellow firefighters had to drive to neighboring Pasadena to fill their trucks. “How do you fight a fire with no water?” Babroff said. As wildfires tore through greater Los Angeles...

Holy cr*p. LAFD reportedly canceled their annual fire hydrant testing a few weeks ago citing “fiscal challenges.” But they have enough money for an LAFD DEI Bureau and DEI chief. Unbelievable. Quote Max Bonilla @outragedteen_ · 9h Any reason why Los Angeles County failed to test their fire hydrants a week before this fire started? The Notice: TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF ANNUAL HYDRANT TESTING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024/2025 Tuesday, December 24, 2024 - 08:30:00 In consideration of the Department's current operational and fiscal challenges, the annual hydrant testing scheduled for the beginning of this year will be temporarily suspended. This decision...

Los Angeles fire hydrants are OUT OF WATER because the county REFUSED to refill reservoirs, per Rick Caruso “You can’t fight a fire without water!” The Mayor did ZERO prep despite the advanced warning of winds and fire risk. This is EXACTLY what happened on Maui! ... This is not climate change, this is criminal negligence. ... Yet my notifications are full of leftists screeching about climate change. Ask them why you need a permit to clear highly-flammable brush out of your own backyard. ... The mayor is out of the country. She also cut la fire services by millions...

Across the country, copper and other valuable materials have been stolen from streetlights, statues and even gravesites, costing millions to repair. The 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles has been cast into darkness after its wiring was stolen.Credit... The 6th Street Bridge in Los Angeles is wired to glow with colorful lights celebrating the city’s spirit. But the bridge, known as the “Ribbon of Light,” goes dark at night now. So do stretches of the busy 405 freeway and dozens of street blocks across the city. In St. Paul, Minn., a man was recently hit by a car and killed...

In certain situations you may be able to obtain emergency drinking water from fire hydrants. Should you do so, and is this even legal you may ask? For the most part, opening a fire hydrant on a municipal water line is against the law and should never be attempted. Secondly, if the hydrant is still pressurized, the force of the unregulated water could cause injury or even death. Also, if citizens begin randomly opening fire hydrants, this may result in a loss of pressure when it is needed for actual firefighting.

A West Philadelphia neighborhood has lost its block party privileges, and others around the city will have to find an alternate form of aquatic entertainment after the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections came down with a firm – if obvious – edict: Residents are not allowed to tap into fire hydrants to turn dumpsters into swimming pools. "We are not screwing around, Philly," the Department of Licenses & Inspections wrote, listing several reasons why "you shouldn’t swim in a receptacle most often used for waste." City officials said they were obliged to make that declaration after several residents in...

Recently the EPA ruled that New York City had to replace 1,300 fire hydrants because of their lead content. The ruling was based on the Drinking Water Act passed by Congress in 2011. As Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) pointed out while lambasting the agency, “I don’t know a single New Yorker who goes out to their fire hydrants every morning, turns it on, and brushes their teeth using the water from these hydrants. It makes no sense whatsoever.” Reportedly, the Senate is poised to consider legislation exempting fire hydrants if the EPA does not revise its ruling.

ROCKWALL COUNTY - A North Texas homeowner wants you to learn from his family's tragedy. The fire hydrants in his neighborhood are turned off. But he didn't know that until June 24th, the night his house caught fire. "My grandfather died last year. My wife's grandfather died last year. All our pictures were the biggest thing that we lost," said Eric Aderholt. It didn't have to happen. When the fire began, firefighters from around Rockwall County responded quickly. But when they went to hook hose to hydrant, there was no water. "No one ever told us that they were turned...

Dozens of fire hydrants across the District are not in working order, including the two closest to Monday's fire at the D.C. public library in Georgetown. Fire and union officials say the faulty hydrants often aren't discovered until a fire breaks out, as was the case in Georgetown.... The city has struggled for years to keep hydrants in good working order, firefighters said. With nearly 9,300 hydrants citywide, keeping up with inspections can be difficult, they said. Some broken hydrants are clearly marked, but only those that have been identified as needing repair. The D.C. Water and Sewer Authority oversees...