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ORANGE COUNTY FIRE RESCUE STUDY <br />COUNTYWIDE RECOMMENDATIONS <br />1 survey the chosen sites, review topography for runoff, and certify the availability of <br />2 water over a 50 year time frame. <br />3 <br />4 <br />5 We recommend that the County arrange asbestos inspector training and licensing <br />6 for one or more of its building inspectors. This inspector should perform asbestos <br />7 inspection at no cost for volunteer departments in need of such inspection for live <br />8 burn training. <br />9 <br />10 <br />11 Water Supp1X <br />12 <br />13 Water supply is a major issue in the fire service. Water continues to be the most <br />14 portable, cost effective tool for suppressing and ,extinguishing most fires. Many <br />15 municipal jurisdictions have hydrant systems (such as Chapel Hill and Carrboro) <br />16 and the cost of these systems is not factored into the cost of fire protection. <br />17 However, volunteer departments for the most part have to carry their water with <br />18 them, necessitating the need for larger (and more expensive) apparatus with large <br />19 water tanks. Water points are identified and established from which fire apparatus <br />20 can draw water, fill their tanks and return to the scene to drop their water into <br />21 portable hydrants or drop tanks. We have made„ recommendations regarding the <br />22 need to document and certify water supply sources for individual departments. <br />23 <br />24 The county should hire a professional engineer to conduct 50 year drought studies <br />25 on farm ponds and other bodies of water that could be reasonably expected to <br />26 provide year round water sources for fire protection in the rural regions of the <br />27 county. These studies could then provide the necessary documentation to meet <br />28 DOI/ISO rating requirements for improved fire protection ratings. These studies <br />29 would also justify expenditures to install dry hydrants to make the sources even <br />30 more practical and efficient for fire protection. <br />31 <br />32 There is an opportunity for the County to assist two departments in their need for <br />33 water supply points. A hydrant can be a very effective water point. There is a large <br />34 water line that follows Highway 54 from Chatham County through Orange County. <br />35 We recommend that several hydrarts be located along this line to be used by White <br />36 Cross and Orange Grove (including when they may have to assist Carrboro Fire <br />99 <br />