A fire hydrant, also known as a fireplug or firecock, is a visible fixture placed inside or outside a building, parking area, industrial area, mine, roadside, etc. that is connected to the municipal or a private water service network. It is a component of active fire protection and is designed to instantly provide the water required by firefighters to extinguish a fire. Fire hydrants are usually painted a bright color, such as red or yellow, to help firefighters find them easily in case of an emergency. They can vary in exact size and appearance, but theyre usually shaped like a cylinder with a variety of valves and connection points. Fire hydrants are usually located on the street near the curb and are one of the most accessible parts of a water distribution system.

Here are some key features of fire hydrants:

• Connection point: Fire hydrants are a connection point by which firefighters can tap into a water supply.
• Valves: Firefighters usually have to use a special pentagonal wrench to remove the valve covers on a fire hydrant. Once the covers are removed, firefighters can attach hoses to the valves. They then open a valve that allows water to flow through the hydrant into the hoses.
• Water supply: Fire hydrants can typically supply a large volume of water. This water is pumped through hoses to the fire truck, where it is pressurized and divided into several streams to supply water to multiple fire hoses at once.

Fire hydrants are also used for other purposes, such as attaching pressure gauges or loggers to monitor system water pressure. Automatic flushing devices are often attached to hydrants to maintain chlorination levels in areas of low usage. Hydrants are also used as an easy above-ground access point by leak detection devices to locate leaks from the sound they make. Private hydrants are usually located on larger properties to adequately protect large buildings in case of a fire and in order to comply with the fire code.