Title/Name/Summary
Storz Nozzle Conversion Program - Material Purchase
History
In 2021, a Village-wide fire hydrant conversion program was established for replacing standard pumper nozzle hookups with Storz nozzles. Utilization of Storz nozzles expedites fire department response times. Rather than threading on an adapter plate (risking cross threading), the Storz allows for a fast “quarter-turn” connection. Quick-connect couplings save considerable amount of time for firefighters when they are connecting hose fittings, and this might further save their lives and the lives of Orland Park residents in case of an emergency.
Conversions began primarily in recent water main replacement subdivisions. Utilities staff have had discussions with Orland Fire Protection District leadership prior to starting any of this work, and they are very happy to see our support to help expedite emergency response. We have also worked with the Engineering Department to change the hydrant code to have any new development areas to provide new hydrants with Storz as standard.
The Village currently has approximately four thousand nine hundred seven (4,940) hydrants on our water system. While the goal is for all hydrants to have a Storz connection, staff are concentrating on commercial and industrial areas first. To date, four hundred thirty-one (431) Storz Nozzle conversions have been successfully completed. This purchase will allow for another two hundred (200) hydrants to be converted in 2026 and bring 12.8% of hydrants to this standard. While it looks like we have only added one percent (1%) to our completion rate from last year, hydrants have been added due to new construction, increasing our overall total hydrants.
EJ USA is the hydrant supplier for the Village of Orland Park, along with hardware, and replacement parts for EJ hydrants, and is considered a sole source for this purchase.
Financial Impact
Funds for Storz Nozzles in the amount of $60,000 were included in the FY 2...
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