02/09/2026
You’ve probably walked or driven past one of these today… but do you know what the ‘H’ means?
The yellow ‘H’ signs found on walls, posts and lampposts mark the location of a fire hydrant, helping firefighters quickly find an underground water supply during an emergency. What you might not know is that public and private hydrants have different responsibilities.
While public hydrants form part of the public water network, private hydrants on private water mains are the responsibility of the relevant responsible person(s). They should be kept accessible, maintained and in good working order, with appropriate inspection and testing arrangements in place.
As members of the Fire Protection Association (FPA), we keep up with industry guidance and information that can help businesses better understand their wider fire safety responsibilities.
So, next time you spot one of those yellow H signs, you’ll know exactly what it’s there for.
