Press Center

After fatal fire, Brookhaven sets hydrant hearing

BY PATRICK WHITTLE
patrick.whittle@newsday.com
02/11/2009

The Brookhaven Town board last night set a date for a public hearing on proposed legislation mandating water pressure tests and public inspection reports for fire hydrants in private communities.

The legislation addresses concerns arising out of a fatal co-op complex fire in Selden last week. Firefighters reported that a lack of water pressure in a hydrant made it more difficult to put out the blaze, and forced them to call for two water tankers from neighboring fire departments.

There are about 90 private communities in Brookhaven, housing thousands of people.

"This is something that fell through the cracks," said Councilwoman Jane Bonner. The resolution, which passed unanimously, sets a March 10 hearing date.

Brookhaven's move comes a week after Suffolk County legislators Jack Eddington (I- Medford) and Brian Beedenbender (D- Centereach) announced that they would propose a similar law that would require private communities to check water pressure annually and certify these inspections to the county.

Neither the county nor the town regularly inspects private water systems to ensure that they have sufficient water pressure to fight fires. Brookhaven's proposed law requires a licensed contractor to inspect the hydrants, including checking the pressure, for the private community, which must file a test report with the town.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, who has said that he supports efforts to close gaps in the oversight of private water systems, was expected to meet with county officials today on the issue.

State fire code mandates annual inspections of private fire hydrants, but does not require the filing of inspection reports with any public agency.

Eddington and Beedenbender's proposal would require private communities to hire a contractor to test water pressure and then file reports with the county's Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services Department.

Water pressure testing in private communities became an issue after Selden firefighters battling the blaze at the Village in the Woods struggled with weak water pressure. The fire displaced at least a dozen people.

Officials said it did not contribute to the death of Amy Yeung, 29, because the pressure dropped after she was pulled out of the building. She died of smoke inhalation.