EDITORIAL: Getting water to rural fires must be priority

April 30-- Apr. 30--Water, water everywhere? That might have been the case for Samuel Taylor Coleridge's ancient mariner. But where the beleaguered sailor had not a drop to drink, many local firefighters have trouble finding an adequate supply in rural areas because they don't have the benefit of a municipal water system. As a result, they must rely on other sources -- sources that can be tough to find.

You might be able to help -- and should, if possible. The home or barn you save may be your own.

Time is always precious when fighting a fire, but in rural areas that's exacerbated by lack of a readily available water supply. Since there are no convenient fire hydrants to tap into when serving remote sites, firefighters must rely on nearby streams and/or ponds and tankers and tote water to the scene -- tankers that are quickly pumped dry as they pour out hundreds of gallons in relatively short time. They must then return to refill -- and that takes time.

For instance, during an April 3 fire on State Route 365 in Trenton, firefighters relied on one existing hydrant in the hamlet of Mapledale and 14 tankers. Each tanker could hold between 2,000 and 3,000 gallons of water, but that water goes quickly when sprayed by hoses that can push out hundreds of gallons at full blast, said Barneveld Fire Chief Kevin Kalk. The trucks drove a 3.5-mile loop back and forth from the hydrant to the fire, which ultimately claimed three structures.

In such cases, nearby ponds could be invaluable reservoirs. Rural families often have ponds or streams on their property, and by making them available in the event of a nearby fire, they could save firefighters looking to reload valuable time. Kalk said rural fire departments routinely make contact with homeowners who have water sources on their land to see if an agreement can be set up in advance for access in the event a fire breaks out in that vicinity. Rural neighbors so often rely on one another for others things; nothing, perhaps, is as critical as water in the event of a fire.

Installing "dry hydrants" -- a nonpressurized pipe system permanently installed in existing lakes, ponds and streams that provides a suction supply of water to a fire department tank truck -- is another part of that equation that should be explored. That can be costly, but state grants are available to rural departments. It would seem an investment worth pursuing.

It's challenging enough to fight a fire, and volunteers do a remarkable job. We should do everything humanly possible to make sure that they have the most critical tool to do that -- water.

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