The Hidden Meaning Behind Fire Hydrant Colours

[@rocksteady2263]

As a former CFS volunteer, it always intrigues me to see how other places around the world find adaptions to their own challenges, this is really cool.

[@JulianOShea]

I do love seeing normal things done differently in different cities.

[@nhansen197]

Reflective street markers can be used where it snows. To avoid getting scraped off by plows a groove is cut in the pavement so that the marker can be recessed.

[@bradwconnors]

This is like 99PI come to life. I’m loving the different locations, unique stories and relaxed presentation style. You are sensational! I really hope your channel gets discovered by many many more people.

[@baystated]

The nob at the top keeps was the water plugged at the main level below the frost line to help keep water from being inside the hydrant and freezing and plugging or cracking the hydrant. We clear the snow from around the hydrant to improve accessibility to them in winter. Every second matters, whether it is locating the hydrant or ease attaching hoses or opening the valves. My city also uses yellow bands on nearest power poles with a directional indicator pointed to its location. We also use antennas. It is fascinating how other places have similar and different systems.

[@JulianOShea]

Good input - thanks for sharing.

[@AverageAufa]

every time i watch ur videos, i always think all countries can share each others innovations

[@JulianOShea]

Indeed! - There’s so much innovation in different places. Let’s borrow from the best.

[@krispyking2450]

straight too the point clear and shows u done ur research love it how do u only have 124k subscribers

[@JulianOShea]

Really appreciate it! That’s what I go for.

[@scana1979]

In Melbourne Australia the L-type hydrant with the removable cover is still a common sight. Typically a red top with what used to be a white painted valve for normal water pressure mains. Older pillar type also have the red top for normal mains pressure. Occasionally you will see black top hydrants with valves painted yellow for larger high pressure mains similar to what you posted in the video. A more recent variation is a purple band painted if the supply is non-potable recycled water. Increasingly they are in the ground as a fire plug which you showed or a removable plastic cover in the road verge.

[@Balthorium]

San Francisco has a complicated color code system that relates to where the water comes from. There are hidden underground water basins under certain intersections marked with a brick circle. The colors of the hydrants correlate to the reservoirs.

[@theresabradley4716]

I never knew what the blue square on the telephone poles were for. Thanks, Julian. I always learn something from your videos!

[@francoisbelangerboisclair]

In Montreal and Laval, fire hydrants are color coded too. The blue one are actually not fire hydrants! They are water intake own by the public transit. You can connect a red "normal" fire hydrant to a fire truck pump and connect it to a blue one. The water will be send underground to the subway tunnel fire fighting system. They mainly act as secondary intake system if they need more pressure or need to use an auxiliary source in case of a main water failure.

[@jasongarufi8187]

Hi Julian thanks for another great video on the fire hydrant system of Chicago

[@JulianOShea]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@BatCaveOz]

Thanks for clarifying the urban myth about Mrs. O'Leary. Sincerely, Mr. O'Leary (me)

[@JulianOShea]

Pleasure

[@maddyg3208]

There's an international chain of "O'Leary" pubs. Saw one recently in Singapore airport and was tempted to ask if they were related to the O'Leary family from Glenormiston (near Warrnambool). Didn't think my attempt at pretending to be a Western District grazier would cross cultural borders though

[@SnoopReddogg]

The old "Dad owns half the western district" line hasn't worked in years. God knows, I've tried many times, grossly overstating 800acres near Woorndoo that's was sold 30 years ago

[@TheHobartAviationFan]

As always learnt something when watching your video!

[@JulianOShea]

Happy to help!

[@denehardy949]

I really enjoy the videos like this one that you do. There are so many interesting objects in this world that are part of our daily lives but we just don’t notice them. And many of them have great stories behind their designs . Awesome job!

[@tisme4866]

Huh, never actually thought about why we have the blue squares. Guess you learn something new every day.

[@JulianOShea]

I think my short on that is my most viewed piece of content ever.

[@markfryer9880]

Don't forget the white triangles pointing to the hydrant!

[@Lazy_Tim]

You do get around Julian! Thanks for the vid mate.

[@JulianOShea]

That’s the goal! - Cheers, Tim :)

[@loganbaileysfunwithtrains606]

Ah so it makes sense that near schools and other similar structures there’s always yellow hydrants, or that’s at least what I’ve always noticed in my area

[@entropyachieved750]

Wow you get around mate. Always interesting content

[@JulianOShea]

That’s the goal - big planet - lot’s to see.

[@JosiahKeller]

I've seen the blue reflectors all over Indianapolis since your other video. I reflexively look for a hydrant now whenever I see a reflector. 😅

[@EladLerner]

So much info i 4 minutes! Amazing

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

🎵 Late last night, while we were all in bed, O'Leary left her lantern in the shed And when the cow kicked in over, she winked her eye and said, "It's gonna be a hot time in the old town tonight" 🔥🔥🔥

[@playlisttarmac]

Hydrants in Perth Australia. A H painted on the road then on the nature strip a metal sheet where the hydrant is located.

[@Its_kipness]

Yep

[@secretaltruism4174]

Can you talk about Australian fire hydrants? I don't understand how they work and how they're accessed

[@JulianOShea]

I’ll investigate.

[@Hitsuji_Suji]

Does anyone know if the color codes were the same back in the 30s-40s?

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

Julian, did you speed up the audio?… Or am I getting slow?

[@MC_MMV]

I think so too

[@pynchon9]

Great content, every time. Thanks!

[@JulianOShea]

Thanks, mate - glad you enjoyed it!

[@Lordoftheflamesissketchy]

The Tas Fire Service uses differnt ones to these.

[@JulianOShea]

Yep. Different by cities. These ones are iconic.

[@TCJones]

I would if sf does colours too, as i saw a lot of white ones, but all the ones in sf also had names on, which i thought was the manufacturer.

[@granthogden4732]

I still like the fictional story of how Doctor who (or rather his sonic screwdriver) was the one who started the Chicago fire

[@nwefe]

3:21 this transition is so awkward... great video though

[@chasc0re]

I LOVED this transition, so Juliancore

[@heyitsgabs21]

never gonna be able to watch chicago fire the same

[@notaplic8158]

Wait what did I miss? Aren't you the guy who talked about footpaths in Melbourne

[@JulianOShea]

That’s me. Off on US adventures.

[@quantuminfinity4260]

0:35 This was later admitted by the person who wrote the story for the paper to be an entirely made up cause.

[@lachee3055]

3:20 just to get the point of video title

[@justanotherguy8791]

Its not the pressure its the volume.

[@EmonEconomist]

Wait wait wait wait wait. That's where the song comes from? Late last night, when we were all in bed (bom bom bom) Old Lady Leary lit the lantern in the shed And when the cow kicked it over, she winked her eye and said It'll be a hot time, in the old town, tonight. (Fire! Fire! Fire!) The more you know... And while it seems the original story isn't true, it's still a handy reminder to be careful with lit lanterns!

[@Ggdivhjkjl]

Water! Water! Water!

[@nikdog419]

Yellow strip? It should be marked with a red strip. A yellow strip means commercial delivery/pickup zone, red is no parking. (Blue is police/handicap, white is passenger loading zone). Actually for that matter, it is extremely odd for a yellow strip to be that close to a fire hydrant. The law stipulates something like a 20 foot (~6.6m) red strip centred off the hydrant. Makes me wonder if the International Brotherhood of Teamsters lobbied the city of Chicago for special delivery zones to better preform their work and reduce congestion.

[@John-ci8yk]

Why in most cities are they called fire hydrants and in Philadelphia we called fire plugs? Thank you and thumbs up on the video.

[@dfross87]

Originally there were no permanent outlets, and fire brigades would drill holes in the water mains. When the fire was out a plug would be installed and it's location marked so that next time, the fire brigade wouldn't have to drill another hole. Over time, water systems started including access points for fire fighting as part of the design of water mains, including a covered pit to save digging; later came street level access points similar in concept to the hydrants we see today. But the term fire plug relates back to those early days of drilling holes and banging in wooden plugs once the fire was out.

[@sagargurung6200]

How do you think of making a video like this? Chicago hydrant, and you fly Chicago for it?

[@JulianOShea]

I was in Chicago when I made it. Def did not travel there just for this… :)

[@cliffcorson4000]

The color coding isn't consistent as it used to be Many cities use different color schemes

[@alexiwheelbarrow]

Omg. Chicago? Julian O'Shea Stewart Hicks crossover????

[@JohnDlugosz]

Can't part within 3 meters of a fire hydrant: are you sure the Chicago law uses _meters_ ? I would expect it to say 9 or 10 *feet* .

[@AcadiaB]

:O that's what the songs about

[@AW-1909]

They're only worth about $20 and get stolen anyway, can't have shit in Chicago

[@JulianOShea]

I know - theft of public safety infratructure for such little gain. So bad.

[@zacandmillie]

I'm pleased to see you weren't mugged while there. Mayor Lightfoot would need to apologise if we lost you and your informative videos.

[@robbiethemann]

More like 'scapecow'

[@JulianOShea]

Reluctant like.

[@halinaqi2194]

I cringed whenever he touched it lol

[@drunkpaulocosta]

So the hidden meaning was?

[@BatCaveOz]

The colour of the flange indicates how powerful a fire hydrant will be based on the volume of water the associated pipes can deliver.

[@oggilein1]

The water pressure, it literally says it in the video Leave it to the youtube comments to set a new world record on ignorance

[@laurencefraser]

@@oggilein1 Mind you, it's not mentioned until the 'watch this video next' boxes start poping up over the screen, a point at which most videos are well done with actually telling you anything useful.

[@reoproedros]

can you speak a little faster please ?

[@riponrip4574]

Second🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@deadclawww3108]

7th

[@rushisushi2130]

First

[@riponrip4574]

🎉🎉🎉

[@xex-jdmodz]

him: unlike most cities in the world chicago uses a single style of hydrant thr uk:bruv have you never vidited our country we use the same style all accross our country 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣