That means in most places, there will be an exception to the law if you (the driver) remain in your car and the engine remains running, so that if the fire service arrives, you can immediately move your vehicle. The law isn’t meant to inconvenience you, it’s there to ensure the safety of firefighters and the general public. The same goes for the color of the hydrant, you may have been told that, for example, if the hydrant is grey, it’s OK to park there, it’s not.Īgain, the law says, “don’t park within 15-feet of a fire hydrant”. The curb should be painted red because it makes it easier to visually identify that 15-foot area from the hydrant, but the city may not have been able to paint, yet, and the law doesn’t care about the color of curbs, it says “don’t park within 15-feet of a fire hydrant”. There are no exceptions to the rule based on the color of the curb. Are There Exceptions Based On The Color Of The Curb Or The Hydrant? You might also have cost someone their life if your parking delays a response to the fire for long enough, that’s something that is going to sit heavily on anyone’s conscience. Yes, even if the fire department has to trash your car in order to do their job, you will be paying a hefty fine to the city. Take a look at this video, it actually happens: They can (and will) smash your windows to run the hose through your car, your car is likely to be full of water and you’re still not getting off without a fine. The law is quite clear in this case that your car matters less than the fire department’s need to save lives. The worst-case, on the other hand, means that the fire department turned up to a fire and your car was in the way. You will then need to pay money to use your car again and it’s not going to be cheap. Then you may face a parking ticket, you might have been clamped or your car may have been towed, or a combination of any or all of these things. That is, you park your car, nothing catches fire but by the time you return, the city has been notified that you have parked there. The best-case scenario is likely to involve no fire. What If I Park In Front of A Fire Hydrant (and Then There’s A Fire)? If you’re the person closest to the hydrant, you’re the person that the city’s parking wardens are likely to ticket. However, if you want to be certain, then we’d encourage you to carry a measuring tape or a laser measuring device. It’s best to leave more space than not enough. How Can I Be Sure That I Am At Least 15-Feet Away From A Hydrant? It’s the distance that most fire services will need to be able to identify the fire hydrant on a busy street and get their water supply hose connected to it without damaging anything around them or impeding the ability of firefighters to do their jobs. For example, Salt Lake City Utah made this video about parking near a fire hydrant: Now, as they won’t mark out 15-feet on the ground to give you a guide as to how much room to leave, you should know that this is about the same length as a standard sedan car.ġ5 feet is the usually required distance, however it can vary. the law tends to be “don’t park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant” and does not dwell on other specifics. It is important to note that it does not matter what color a fire hydrant is, what it might be used for, what color the lines on the pavement are, etc. Your # 1 priority is keeping your family safe. As a firefighter, I recommend everyone has updated smoke detectors that don’t require battery changes, like these ones from Kidde, a fire extinguisher, like this one from Amerex, and a fire escape ladder if you have bedrooms above the first floor, I recommend this one from Hausse.Īlso read: Fire Hydrant Near Me: 8 Ways To Find The Nearest Fire Hydrant How Close Can You Park To A Fire Hydrant?Įach state is free to set its own laws and each country too, however, a good rule of thumb in the United States is to assume that you must not park within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Let’s take a look at this and some other important facts about parking near fire hydrants in more detail, so you don’t get yourself in trouble. However, this distance can vary somewhat in different cities or countries. Typically, you are allowed to park no closer than 15 feet from a fire hydrant. Does that mean you can park there or do you need to keep driving? You’ve been driving around for what feels like hours and you’ve been looking for the perfect parking space and then you see it! But… there’s a fire hydrant on the sidewalk. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases (at no added cost to you).
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