ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Some Apopka residents are upset that the city is removing fire hydrants from certain neighborhoods.
WFTV reporter Drew Petrimoulx found Monday that the Apopka Fire Deparment is moving fire hydrants from some neighborhoods to others that have fewer hydrants.
“It was strange for them to take it out after 15 years," said Willie Sims, president of the Lake Hammer subdivision homeowners association.
He said fellow residents are also concerned whether firefighters will “have enough water-hose to reach the destination where they need to be at."
Residents also said they’re concerned that removing the hydrants will lower the city’s fire rating.
The city enjoys an ISO Class 1 rating. ISO stands for the Insurance Services Office, the main supplier of risk information used to determine insurance rates for the city. Class 1 is the highest ranking.
But Apopka Fire Department Lt. R.I. Colina said removing the hydrants poses no danger to residents and that they are still safe.
He said leaving the old hydrants where they are and putting in new ones in neighborhoods that need them is not an option because it would be too expensive.
Fire department officials could not say exactly how much hydrants cost but said they're expensive.
They also couldn’t say how many hydrants have been or will be moved, but they say their recent renewal of Class 1 certification is proof Apopka residents are safe.
"You can sleep good at night knowing that you are well-protected," Colina said.
Fire officials say the decision to move hydrants came after the planning and zoning department made a new assessment of development trends.
WFTV
