City fire hydrants fall into disrepair


A potential safety issue that came to light during Monday night’s City Council meeting is the number of fire hydrants in need of repair in Henderson.

Henderson Fire Chief Danny Wilkerson reported that of 570 fire hydrants recently evaluated in anticipation of a state Department of Insurance fire insurance rating inspection, 108 are in need of repair.

“Some of these hydrants don’t have water,” Wilkerson said. “And that’s scary.”

Wilkerson said he is confident about the insurance inspection, scheduled for the week of Oct. 17, but the big issue is making sure the fire hydrants are in working order. A broken fire hydrant was a problem during at least one fire this summer.

Asked by council member Mary Emma Evans if the hydrants are a safety issue, Wilkerson replied: “Absolutely.”

City Manager Eric Williams, asked by council member Elissa Yount what is being done to repair the hydrants, said: “We’re repairing them as quick as we can.”

Mark Warren, who oversees the utility services as assistant city manager, told the council that hydrants without water service will be taken care of first. Those with leaks, he reported, have never been a priority because other repairs have taken precedence. In further discussion, it was revealed that through budget cuts the position within the water department that inspected fire hydrants was lost approximately two years ago.

“We have four people to look after the cemetery, but we don’t have anybody to look after the hydrants,” Yount said.

The council briefly discussed options such as the use of independent contractors or the contingency fund. In the end, however, at the suggestion of Mayor Clem Seifert, the matter was referred to a Public Safety Committee meeting set for Sept. 23, with a report expected at the next council meeting Sept. 26.