by Chris Conte
RUTHERFORD COUNTY,Tenn.- Rutherford County's fire chief is asking for four new pumper trucks because he believes the amount of water that comes out of fire hydrants in some parts of the county is not sufficient enough to fight fires.
"We've had people that were in the shower and we hook the hydrant up and they're just standing there with no water running," Chief Larry Farley says about the problem.
Farley says there have been times when his crews have gotten to a fire scene in the rural part of the county and barely had enough water coming out of a hydrant to help fight the fire.
"We may have a hydrant right there within 500 feet but we may have to go a mile down the road to tap into a better hydrant," he adds.
The chief is now asking the county for four new pumper trucks at a cost of $350,000 each, something he says his department needs to avoid what's already becoming a growing problem.
"The further you get out in the county the worse the hydrants get as far as water pressure," Farley notes.
Consolidated Utility is responsible for most of the water lines in rural Rutherford County, according to them the water pipes are just too small. They were put in years ago to provide adequate drinking water to homes but were not intended to help fight fires.
"The infrastructure is not there to provide fire protection," says Consolidate Utility General Manager Bill Dunnill.
"I can't just increase fire flows and not decrease water quality," he adds.
