Dry hydrant home owner release of liability

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Permalink Reply by Larry Lasich on September 9, 2011 at 9:57pm

Do you mean that you can draft their water or they have to provide cisterns in un-hydranted areas?

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Permalink Reply by Danny Vanover on September 9, 2011 at 10:21pm

we have several dry hydrants in our township placed by home owners in ponds on their property. We have designated these with blue address signs. We have looked into the requirements for the department for yearly service and maintenance. The department has never had a release form the home owner or one is not on record with our department. I need to find a release form allowing the department to use these hydrants in an emergency for other property owners and to do service/maintenance on them.all I can find the references to release forms but I am unable to locate such forms.

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Permalink Reply by Tim Siegel on September 13, 2011 at 12:10pm

Hello We have had one for years and have just sent out new ones this year to all our fill locations. We try to keep them updated every 10 years. We have around 30 fill locations in our Fire District, some we never use, but we like to have a signed paper saying that we or our mutual aid departments can draft water. It seems to work well.

 

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Permalink Reply by Don Fischer on September 13, 2011 at 12:39pm

NFPA 1142 has an example of an agreement

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Permalink Reply by Dan Rice on September 16, 2011 at 9:25am

We operate multiple different dry hydrants within our jurisdiction and utilize our neighboring departments hydrants when necessary and honestly I have not known that there needs to be a release to do such. What is the purpose of this release? Just a general CYA?

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Permalink Reply by Danny Vanover on September 16, 2011 at 10:14am

A home owner had a dry hydrant on his property. He dumped about 6 ton of gravel in front of it so it was oos. We responded to his home for smoke in the residence knowing it was a dry hydrant location a single tender response was appropriate after arriving on scene we had to have additional tenders respond. So the debate started as to liability issues. So in turn its a CYA and checks and balances, for the home owner if injury occurs on his property, the ability for the department to do testing and maintenance, and the hydrants are used for ISO ratings. I have designed a form that is going to be sent to the attorneys office so if anyone needs one or looks into todays issue of law suits and liability. i hope to have it back in a couple of weeks

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Permalink Reply by Dan Rice on September 16, 2011 at 10:30am

Understood, thank you I wasn’t exactly sure as to what the purpose of this was. Thank you for the clarification!

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Permalink Reply by Tim Siegel on September 16, 2011 at 10:33am

Basically we do it for the same reason as Danny's department does. Ours has stuff in it like the home owner has to maintain a clear patch to the hydrant and can not place items in front of. It also releases the home owner from the liability if we use it and someone else structure burns down. It also has provision for test and if the hydrant gets damaged or if someone gets hurt on their property, but yes basically a CYA.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Rice on September 16, 2011 at 10:58am

Gotcha, thanks guys I think it might be something I need to look into.

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