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Paint Doesn't Come Cheap These Days

14 comments

THE CITY OF OCONOMOWOC, WISCONSIN, (the only place in America where every 2nd letter is an “o”) needs to have its 900 fire hydrants re-painted.  And like a good, responsible city they choose to hire somebody to do it, instead of ordering their firefighters to leave their checker games and go out and paint the hydrants themselves.

hydrant-paint

With the slack economy, they expected several bids on the job from firms needing work.  They got them alright, but most of the companies bidding were trying to turn their own economy around in one bid.

One construction company bid $549 per hydrant.  They were underbid by another firm who offered to do it for $465 per hydrant.

Fortunately for the good folks of Oconomowoc they have an “experienced hydrant painter” who stepped in with a bid to paint them for $95 each.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel fills us in on the STORY.

Posted by on May 8, 2009 • Filed under: hydrants
  • http://livinthedream-fire.blogspot.com/ The Road Doc

    WHAT?!?!?

    Ridiculous.

  • http://livinthedream-fire.blogspot.com/ The Road Doc

    WHAT?!?!?

    Ridiculous.

  • JV

    The Water dept in the township where I work hires part timers in the summer to paint the hydrants with a brush and clear the weeds where necessary. I’m sure that cost far less than $95 per hydrant. I hope they are sandblasting, priming, and spraypainting the hydrants for that price.

  • JV

    The Water dept in the township where I work hires part timers in the summer to paint the hydrants with a brush and clear the weeds where necessary. I’m sure that cost far less than $95 per hydrant. I hope they are sandblasting, priming, and spraypainting the hydrants for that price.

  • nick

    when i was on a department we painted the hydrants ourselves and got 5 bucks for each one we did. strip the old paint, put new paint on and apply glass beads on the tops for visibility. and mostly it was the old timers or young guys doing them.

  • nick

    when i was on a department we painted the hydrants ourselves and got 5 bucks for each one we did. strip the old paint, put new paint on and apply glass beads on the tops for visibility. and mostly it was the old timers or young guys doing them.

  • http://www.iaff3499.com/ Nate Q.

    We flow test and maintain (strip/paint/grease/etc.) our own hydrants twice a year (flow in Mar./paint in Aug.) and for as much crap as I’ll get for saying this (from our own guys), it seems to work out pretty good. It gets us out in our first dues and learning our areas, and also lets the public seeing us doing something other than “playing checkers”. The kicker, though…the Water Dept. rents the hydrants to the FD for “fire use” :)

  • http://www.iaff3499.com Nate Q.

    We flow test and maintain (strip/paint/grease/etc.) our own hydrants twice a year (flow in Mar./paint in Aug.) and for as much crap as I’ll get for saying this (from our own guys), it seems to work out pretty good. It gets us out in our first dues and learning our areas, and also lets the public seeing us doing something other than “playing checkers”. The kicker, though…the Water Dept. rents the hydrants to the FD for “fire use” :)

  • Charles Emerson

    I can’t get past the stupid comments about playing checkers. All F.D.’s that are worth their salt are running EMS calls, technical rescues, haz mat’s and of course fires. When not doing that, they are training, maintaining apparatus, equipment and the firehouse.

    Hydrant inspections should consist of thoroughly testing and lubricating the hydrants. If you have time to strip and re-paint your hydrants, you are probably neglecting some much more important things like back to basics training, monitoring new construction in your district, etc.

  • Charles Emerson

    I can’t get past the stupid comments about playing checkers. All F.D.’s that are worth their salt are running EMS calls, technical rescues, haz mat’s and of course fires. When not doing that, they are training, maintaining apparatus, equipment and the firehouse.

    Hydrant inspections should consist of thoroughly testing and lubricating the hydrants. If you have time to strip and re-paint your hydrants, you are probably neglecting some much more important things like back to basics training, monitoring new construction in your district, etc.

  • http://www.iaff3499.com/ Nate

    You’re right about other things being put aside to strip and paint the hydrants. The sad part is, that it’s not a choice. It’s spelled out in policy and it’s not changing anytime soon, thanks to the politicians who think all we do is “play checkers”. On the flip side, being out on hydrant detail DOES offer a chance to monitor new construction, become familiar with FDCs, and hydrant locations. If one’s time is managed wisely, there is still time for training.

  • http://www.iaff3499.com Nate

    You’re right about other things being put aside to strip and paint the hydrants. The sad part is, that it’s not a choice. It’s spelled out in policy and it’s not changing anytime soon, thanks to the politicians who think all we do is “play checkers”. On the flip side, being out on hydrant detail DOES offer a chance to monitor new construction, become familiar with FDCs, and hydrant locations. If one’s time is managed wisely, there is still time for training.

  • j119

    For $95 each the hydrants are sandblasted, primed, painted,and sealcoated. the same company did our hydrants red with white caps.

  • http://firegeezer j119

    For $95 each the hydrants are sandblasted, primed, painted,and sealcoated. the same company did our hydrants red with white caps.