Chief Charlie Hammond addressed the Windham Town Council last Thursday on the Fire and Rescue Department’s budget for the coming fiscal year. He fielded questions from the councilors and voiced his concern for the lack of fire hydrants in certain areas of Windham.

Fire hydrants are typically supposed to be no more than 1,000 feet apart in residential zones. Some of the areas, he pointed out, like one on Albion Road next to Orion Way, had fire hydrants that were more than 3,000 feet apart. If a fire were to occur in one of these areas, several fire trucks would have to connect hoses in order to reach the site, he said. Even with an adequate length of hose, the water loses static water pressure after 1,000 feet.

Because an existing waterline runs through the areas in need, Hammond explained that it would be simple, though costly, to install the necessary fire hydrants. Each of the fire hydrants would cost around $3,000 to $4,000 dollars and would require the assistance of the Portland Water District for approval and installment.

One reason for the lack of fire hydrants is because of residential development not classified as subdivision. Under subdivision law, when three or more houses are built on a plot of land, the developer must extend the waterline and install the necessary hydrants. However, if the developer has owned a plot of land for over five years, they are exempt from subdivision law and may gift the land for more development.

“What I would like to do is take a map from the Portland Water District that shows the existing waterline and go through it and identify where these residential areas are,” Hammond said.

Hammond asked the councilors to consider funding the installment of the hydrants as an “unmet need.” The Town Council will be reviewing all of Windham’s “unmet needs” as they finalize the budget.