GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1997

S	1 

SENATE BILL 22

Short Title:  Dry Hydrant Funds.	(Public)

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Sponsors: Senators Conder; Albertson, Hoyle, and Warren.

─────────────────────────────────────── 
Referred to:  Appropriations.

─────────────────────────────────────── 

February 3, 1997

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR THE INSTALLATION OF NONPRESSURIZED DRY FIRE HYDRANTS IN RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE.
Whereas, there are approximately 950 rural volunteer fire departments serving over 4,000 square miles of privately owned land and property in North Carolina; and
Whereas, many areas of the State lack water mains and domestic fire hydrants, which causes a delayed response time to fire emergencies; and
Whereas, nonpressurized dry hydrants can be placed on existing natural and man-made water sources such as ponds, rivers, creeks, drainage canals, and lakes to provide dependable fire protection in all weather conditions; and
Whereas, dry hydrants provide safe water intake points for volunteer fire-fighting personnel; and
Whereas, the use of dry hydrants will increase rural fire protection capability and efficiency and may save lives and reduce property loss; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources the sum of three million three hundred thousand dollars ($3,300,000) for the 1997-98 fiscal year for the North Carolina Resource Conservation and Development Association, a nonprofit corporation, to be used to provide all counties of the State with materials and equipment to install approximately 5,000 dry hydrants in rural areas, consisting of at least 15 dry hydrants per county upon application of the county.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 1997.