A deadline from the fire district, and nobody to call
Fourteen of our Barstow calls since 2015 have been about fire hydrants. The questions repeat. Some owners have a deadline: the fire district is pressing for the annual test, and they've had trouble finding a company that will come out to Barstow at all. Others want to know whether a hydrant with a stuck handle can still be tested, or what a test on four or five hydrants will cost.
Barstow is in our service area. Call with your hydrant count and deadline.
First, check whose hydrant it is
Golden State Water Company supplies Barstow's water. A hydrant on the public water system is generally not the property owner's to test. A hydrant fed by your own fire service main (the private piping on your side of the water connection) belongs to you, and NFPA 24 covers that main and its fittings.
NFPA 25 says private hydrants get flow tested and inspected every year. That part is on you. Not sure where the line falls? Ask the fire marshal, or check your site plans for where the fire service main leaves the street.
What we do on test day
A yearly visit usually goes like this:
- We look over the outside: caps, outlet threads, the bonnet and the operating nut.
- We open the hydrant all the way and flow water.
- We take pressure readings while it flows.
- We close it slowly to avoid a pressure surge in the main.
- On a dry-barrel hydrant, we confirm the barrel drains after shutoff, because Barstow's winter mornings can drop to freezing and water left standing in the barrel can freeze.
- We note leaks and stiff stems.
NFPA 291 sets the method for flow tests and the color code painted on bonnets by flow class. Repairs are a separate job. If a stem won't turn or a cap is seized, see our pages on fire hydrant repair in Barstow and fire hydrant maintenance in Barstow.
Who to ask about code, and who does the work
The Barstow Fire Protection District handles fire and emergency response in the city. Its fire marshal also holds the city building official role and is listed at 760-255-5169. Ask that office which records it wants after the test and which edition of the California Fire Code applies.
Near the edge of town? Some properties around Barstow fall under San Bernardino County Fire, and a pending reorganization (LAFCO 3280) would move some of that territory into the Barstow district, so confirm which agency covers your address.
The work is done by Hedrick Fire Protection. Hedrick holds C-16 (fire protection) and C-10 (electrical) contractor licenses and is licensed by the California State Fire Marshal under Title 19 for inspection, testing and maintenance of water-based fire protection systems.
To book, call (909) 219-9411 or email socal@1profire.com
If the property also has sprinklers, ask about fire sprinkler service in Barstow on the same call. For sites outside the city, see annual fire hydrant testing in San Bernardino County, Riverside County or Los Angeles County. See all our Barstow services.
Barstow hydrant testing questions
Do you test fire hydrants in Barstow?
Yes. Barstow is one of our service areas, and we flow test and inspect private hydrants there.
Do you do five-year fire hydrant testing?
Under NFPA 25, private hydrants are flow tested and inspected every year. California's five-year Title 19 certification covers water-based systems such as sprinklers, so if a notice asks for a five-year test, check which system it names before you book.
One hydrant has a handle that won't turn all the way. What happens?
Tell us when you call. A stem that won't turn fully can keep the hydrant from opening all the way, which affects the flow test, so it may need repair first.
Where do I get a water flow availability test?
NFPA 291 is the standard for hydrant flow tests. Tell us who asked for it (the fire marshal or your engineer) and what readings they need, and we'll tell you whether our flow test covers the request.