ST. LOUIS – At least 77 fire hydrants across St. Louis have been damaged after being stripped of their brass attachment points. Firefighters have developed a temporary device to ensure crews can still access water during emergencies while city repairs continue.
The damage was discovered on a Friday morning when a resident alerted the fire department to a vandalized hydrant. Fire officials quickly discovered dozens of hydrants missing the brass connections required to hook up fire hoses.
Fire crews designed a temporary adapter within hours of discovering the problem. Chief Dennis Jenkerson, the city’s fire chief, said the device allows emergency vehicles to pump water directly from vandalized units…