(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that a statewide system for fire hydrants be adopted so that all firefighters can respond to emergencies calling for the use of water at any location in the state. Without this statewide standardized system, the lives of firefighters and those they serve would be put in serious jeopardy in a mutual aid fire response effort stretching across city and county boundaries.
(b) By January 1, 1994, the State Fire Marshal shall establish a statewide uniform color coding of fire hydrants. In determining the color coding of fire hydrants, the State Fire Marshal shall consider the national system of coding developed by the National Fire Protection Association as Standard 291 in Chapter 2 on Fire Flow Testing and Marking of Hydrants. The uniform color coding shall not preempt local agencies from adding additional markings.
(c) Compliance with the uniform color coding requirements of subdivision (b) shall be undertaken by each agency that currently maintains fire hydrants throughout the state as part of its ongoing maintenance program for its fire hydrants. Alternatively, an agency may comply with the uniform color coding requirements by installing one or more reflector buttons in a mid-street location directly adjacent to the fire hydrant in the appropriate color that would otherwise be required for the hydrant and a curb marking as near to the hydrant as practicable in that same color.
(d) By July 1, 1994, the State Fire Marshal shall develop and adopt regulations establishing statewide uniform fire hydrant coupling sizes. The regulations adopted pursuant to this section shall include provisions that permit the use of an adapter mounted on the hydrant as a means of achieving uniformity. In determining uniform fire hydrant coupling sizes, the State Fire Marshal shall consider any system developed by the National Fire Protection Association, the National Fire Academy, or the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
(e) By December 1, 1996, each local agency, city, county, city and county, or special district in order to be eligible for any funding of mutual aid fire response related costs under disaster assistance programs, shall comply with regulations adopted pursuant to this section. Compliance may be met if at least one coupling on the hydrant is of the uniform size.
(f) Subdivision (d) shall not be applicable to the City and County of San Francisco due to the existing water system.
(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 93, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 1999.)