San Jose – 
fire hydrant inspections

In the event of a fire, the availability of an adequate water supply to suppress and extinguish a fire is crucial and can mean the difference between life and death if it’s not available.  This is where fire hydrants come in. They provide the water for San Jose fire department hoses to put out a fire.

Simply having fire hydrants installed in strategic locations is a good first step, but they must also maintain their effectiveness during emergencies. For that, it is important to regularly inspect and test fire hydrants to help keep them operational.

Keep San Jose fire-safe. Don’t skip annual fire hydrant inspections.

Annual fire hydrant inspections check that hydrants are in proper working condition and verify that they are operational when they are needed. Some things that are checked during an annual inspection include:

• Open and close each operating valve
• Replace gaskets and lubricate valve stem for easy operation
• Inspect to make sure caps are in place
• Check for the correct above-ground hydrant height
• Paint the hydrant
• Flow test to get available water supply PSI and GPM*
• Operate the street key (control valve) to ensure it operates

*Hydrant Flow Tests

Fire hydrant flow tests are performed to determine the pressure and rate of flow available at various locations. These tests measure the static and residual pressure as well as the gallons per minute (GPM) flow discharge. The data from flow tests allow our team to evaluate if a main water supply valve is closed or if there is blockage in the underground main.