Hydrant Mapping Project (2007 LGAA)

Village of West Carthage (Winner)
County: Jefferson County
Population: Less than 5,000
Village Hall: ( 315) 493-2552

The hydrant mapping project is the result of a partnership with Carthage Central School District, the Village of West Carthage and the West Carthage volunteer fire department. Envisioned in the fall of 2005 and completed in the summer of 2006, this project recognizes the value of knowing the exact location of fire hydrants during an emergency.

As a result, the Village has ensured fire fighters have the information they need to quickly and effectively combat fires by providing them with a map of the exact location of every fire hydrant in the Village.

The award winning partnership between the community and the high school was conceived by the local area council of governments. The students, with the help of their instructor, Pete Walsemann, identified the location of all fire hydrants in the Village including all the pertinent information associated with each, and digitally recorded them through the use of GIS software. This resulted in a form that is carried by all Village emergency vehicles and vehicles from surrounding departments as well. In addition to the obvious service improvements, this project has provided Village residents with the added security of knowing that fire departments, especially mutual aid companies which are typically not as familiar with the area, have the ability to locate hydrants without delay during an emergency.

This initiative has provided additional benefits to the Village as well. During the course of the project, the water department was able to team with the students and photograph existing water lines, while recording their GIS locations. The hydrant mapping has also led to the development of an asset management plan for the Village.