West Midlands Fire Service issues an urgent appeal to prevent hydrant vandalism, highlighting the increased risks to fire safety and our communities.
West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) is warning that hydrant vandalism can cause widespread disruption and put lives at risk.
Deliberate damage to the on-street water supply devices, or fire hydrants, can limit firefighters’ access to water when they’re tackling a fire, increasing risk to life and property.
Such tampering can be more common in the warmer summer months, with safety locks forcibly removed and hydrants smashed open by culprits simply ‘for kicks’ or to play around in the resulting ‘fountain’.
At the end of June 2024, a fire engine and a 4×4 brigade response vehicle from Foleshill attended a street in the Wood Green area. A hydrant cover had been removed, before the hydrant was forced open and torrents of water were allowed to cascade onto the roof of a nearby house.
The property was damaged by the water, which also pooled in its foundations. Both WMFS vehicles were unavailable to respond to other emergencies and needed to return to their station for their drenched fire kit to be replaced.
A month earlier, another hydrant was opened in the same area.
Damaging a hydrant is a criminal offence and carries a fine of up to £500, plus any costs ordered by a court.
The high-pressure release of water can cause damage and injuries, and impact local water supplies by
- discolouring water
- reducing water pressure
- causing supply issues
- causing contamination
- increasing flooding risk.
Jake Tinsley, Watch Manager at Foleshill Fire Station, said: “It’s vital that our firefighters have access to working hydrants at all times. They are a hugely important resource that our crews regularly use to extinguish fires safely.
“We pride ourselves on responding to serious incidents in just five minutes. However, if we arrive to find a damaged hydrant this can unnecessarily delay or hamper our firefighting.
“Turning out to repair hydrants that have been damaged deliberately can also be an avoidable waste of our time and resources”.
If you discover a hydrant that has been damaged, you can report this to us on our website.
Sophie Evans Young, Regional Water Lead at Severn Trent said: “Hydrant misuse is a serious matter which can impact the level and quality of supply to people in the local area, including vulnerable people.
“We strongly urge anyone who spots potential misuse of the water network to contact us at waterregulations@severntrent.co.uk, or by reporting it on their website.
Councillor Pat Seaman, Henley Ward Councillor, and Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “The council and police work closely with the fire service and Severn Trent and that’s why we are backing the call urging people in the local community and across the city to help us tackle the problem.
“We are encouraging parents and carers to warn children about the dangers of hydrant vandalism, to both themselves and their wider community.”
We’d also like to remind members of the public not to obstruct fire hydrants, such as by parking a vehicle over them. This is illegal and could endanger lives in an emergency.
How to spot illegal hydrant use
If you see somebody taking water from, or vandalising a hydrant and they’re not a Severn Trent worker or a firefighter, they may be using the hydrant without authorisation.
Unauthorised users may use various methods and equipment to access water from a fire hydrant.
If the standpipe or equipment the person is using isn’t bright green, it’s likely to be illegal use.
You can often identify authorised users by the connection they use. All Severn Trent-approved users will have a large, bright green standpipe, clearly displaying the Severn Trent logo, which they use to connect to the hydrant.
Firefighters using hydrants will always be wearing uniform and typically have a fire service vehicle nearby.
How to report it
If you think you’ve seen somebody illegally accessing a water hydrant, you should report it to Severn Trent straight away. You can complete their digital form to report suspected hydrant misuse. Please give them as much info as you can. This might include:
- date
- time
- street
- postcode
- registration number of the suspect’s vehicle
- any company name on the vehicle.
If you don’t have all the information, that’s OK, just provide as much as you can.
Don’t approach or confront suspected unauthorised users yourself
Please do not attempt to approach or confront anyone you suspect of accessing a fire hydrant illegally. We, and Severn Trent, will do all we can to investigate and involve the necessary authorities.
You can help us by noting down where and when the incident occurred and, if it has happened more than once, noting any pattern or schedule.
Check for any details of vehicles involved, as outlined above. If you can do so safely and discretely, take a picture that shows the vehicle connected to the standpipe.