FIRE HYDRANT SYSTEM

Dry Hydrants

Remain empty under normal conditions and are charged with water only during an emergency. Water is supplied by the fire brigade's pumping appliance through an inlet located at ground level around the building perimeter.

Wet Hydrants

Kept full of water at all times, typically supplied by tanks and pumps within the building. These are often paired with fire service inlets located at the building perimeter, allowing the fire brigade's pumping appliance to feed water from an external source into the building's internal system.

The choice between dry and wet hydrants generally depends on the building's height.

During the planning stage, it is essential to ensure that an external water source such as a street hydrant is within a reasonable distance from the building. Firefighters should not have to travel far to access an external water supply.