Comments on: EMI 511 Fire/Rescue Tool

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:14:48 +0000

Yeah tamper resistant right, shows you the ingenuity of the average street urchin on a hot summer day, everyone figured out very quickly that the speaker magnet from an old car stereo speaker placed on top would do the same thing then you could use a pipe wrench to open the hydrant and cool yourself, and others, off.

By: Fred

Fred — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 14:43:37 +0000

Many hydrants in New York City have a tamper resistant cap made of stainless steel with a cross-shaped drive mechanism on the top. The actulal drive mechanism is located below the cap. The cap is free-spinning by hand - but when you put the special magnetic wrench on it - the drive shaft is pulled up into the cap allowing you to turn on the water.

By: Nate Bezanson

Nate Bezanson — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:54:53 +0000

Thanks Frank, I had sort of wondered whether there’d be enough leverage there. I guess it’s an optimist’s tool, eh? Or maybe it’s just for turning off and closing hydrants after a fire, after the guys with the real wrenches opened ‘em?

By: Frank Hicinbothem

Frank Hicinbothem — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 19:05:04 +0000

I’m not sure how useful this would be as a hydrant tool– the last time I opened and turned on a hydrant it took most of my body weight and a two-foot long hydrant wrench to do the job. I don’t think I’d want to try it with a tool only a foot long and without a proper handle.