East Texas

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

Lack of locations for fire hydrants in the county has some officials concerned. A 2005 Smith County 911 Map Book, the latest edition, would indicate the need for improvement by some county fire departments.

When a fire breaks out, firefighters ask the 911 dispatcher where the closest fire hydrant is located to quickly lay a line for water supply.

But as a Wednesday morning fire north of Lindale proved, the fire department or the 911 dispatcher doesn't always have accurate information.

Smith County Assistant Fire Marshal Marilynn Wilson said she heard Lindale firefighters ask the Lindale dispatcher where the closest hydrant was Wednesday morning while they were en route to a house fire north of town.

"I heard the dispatcher say, 'There's not one close. The closet one is at May's Brothers at Farm-to-Market Road 1804 and Highway 69.' That's about a mile a way and the one in the front yard of his business is not in the map book," she said. Ms. Wilson pointed out that in the Wednesday fire, firefighters could not see the hydrant because on-lookers had parked in front of the hydrant. However, she said it was the department's responsibility to inform the county where their hydrants were located.

Ms. Wilson said even though the departments may know where all of their hydrants are, other departments would not have that information and dispatchers couldn't instruct them where a hydrant was located.

"If another department had been called to a scene for mutual aid and arrived at the scene first they would not have the information as to where a hydrant was located," she said.

Of the 12 departments, she said Noonday was the only one she knew that had not listed any of their hydrants.

"These departments all got the same letter requesting that information and some for whatever reason did not submit it for the map book," she said. "The 911 people only know a hydrant is there if it is listed. They are not in the field and can't tell the firefighters where they are if they aren't listed."

She added that the departments are outfitted and roll large super tanker fire trucks that hold thousands of gallons of water to the scene so fire suppression can begin immediately.

But she added that the nearest hydrant was a crucial part of the equation in fighting a fire.

Ms. Wilson said with the development of the Emergency Service District 2 the departments are beginning to change the way they have done things in the past.

"The attitude of 'hey we are volunteers' is starting to change, and we are seeing a conscious effort in doing things better, but we still have to know where the hydrants are located," she said.