Two Hockey Fans Cited For Using Fire Hydrant to Fill Backyard Ice Rink in Illinois

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By NewsCore


http://i.imgur.com/kOdsI.jpg

TINLEY PARK, Ill. - Two hockey enthusiasts have been cited for using an estimated 26,000 gallons (98,000 liters) of water from a fire hydrant to create a backyard ice rink in Tinley Park, Ill.

Friends Tony Nelin and Timmy Ryan, both 20 and from Tinley Park, were issued with citations for tampering with a fire hydrant and are scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 26, the Chicago Tribune reported.

On Sunday night, police were called to Tinley Park High School after a school custodian saw a fire hydrant on the school's property had been hooked up to a fire hose.

Police said they followed the hose through a fence and wooded area and ended up at a partially frozen ice rink that measured 91 feet by 43 feet (28m by 13m) in a nearby backyard.

Nelin said he borrowed about 250 feet (76m) of hose from a relative who was a firefighter to fill up the rink, where he and four others hoped to play hockey throughout the winter.

He said he and his friends were originally filling it up with a garden hose, but switched to the hydrant through fear the water bill would be too high. They also felt the garden hose might freeze.

"We had good intentions," Nelin said. "We were trying to do something productive for the winter."

Police said the men were likely to be fined and ordered to pay for the water they used, which is estimated to be $127.44.

"They don't have the authority to tap into a fire hydrant without permission of the village," Tinley Park interim police chief Phil Valois said.

Nelin said the fine would be split between the five men and that he was still looking forward to using the rink.

"It will be worth it," he said.

[Acid Trip]

$127.44 for 26,000 gallons? They should have just used the garden hose if it's that cheap.

[MrsM]

$127.44 for 26,000 gallons? They should have just used the garden hose if it's that cheap.

But if they didn't get caught then it was free :)

Also the firefighter buddy should have told them not to do it

[Acid Trip]

But if they didn't get caught then it was free :)

Also the firefighter buddy should have told them not to do it

No kidding. You want to borrow my fireman's hose to steal water from a fire hydrant? Sure, why not.

[JoeyB]

$127.44 for 26,000 gallons? They should have just used the garden hose if it's that cheap.

Something is very wrong with that figure...the cities in the areas outside of Chicago are actually facing tremendously high water bills, many places having seen vast increases in the last decade. Either Tinley Park has some special, and cheap, water source, or they are billing based on a different rate from residential use. But, it seems off somehow...

All my memories of Tinley Park are wrapped up in 'The World Music Theatre' (called something else now, but it was The World back in the 90's). I saw somebody there...can't recall who exactly but I suspect it was Genesis. Great show, lousy amphitheater. Some people love it, I was underwhelmed. There was a row of suburban housing right behind the place, who must have gotten quite an earful every time they had a band perform at The World. I suspect that was either a curse or a selling point depending on how into current music you were.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

They should make them bust up the rink :twisted:

[Acid Trip]

They should make them bust up the rink :twisted:

With ball peen hammers and then carry it away in sandwich baggies. I wonder how long that would take.

[Shady]

Something is very wrong with that figure...the cities in the areas outside of Chicago are actually facing tremendously high water bills, many places having seen vast increases in the last decade. Either Tinley Park has some special, and cheap, water source, or they are billing based on a different rate from residential use. But, it seems off somehow...


Not at all Joey. I just looked at my water bill and extrapolating it out I come up with just over $130 for the water. Now if they used their own supply it would be higher because then they charge you for sewer and sanitation based off of your usage and such. But the figure for the water is correct.

[Acid Trip]

Not at all Joey. I just looked at my water bill and extrapolating it out I come up with just over $130 for the water. Now if they used their own supply it would be higher because then they charge you for sewer and sanitation based off of your usage and such. But the figure for the water is correct.

I forgot about this. My sewer charge is 5 times the water charge. That would make the bill something like...

Water $130 + Sewer $650 = $780

[JoeyB]

Not at all Joey. I just looked at my water bill and extrapolating it out I come up with just over $130 for the water. Now if they used their own supply it would be higher because then they charge you for sewer and sanitation based off of your usage and such. But the figure for the water is correct.


I forgot about this. My sewer charge is 5 times the water charge. That would make the bill something like...

Water $130 + Sewer $650 = $780

It would explain the discrepancy.

[KevinD]

I don't have a water (or sewage) bill.
TBH, I don't see how this is any different than inner city folks turning on hydrants in the summer time to play in/cool off.

[JoeyB]

I don't have a water (or sewage) bill.
TBH, I don't see how this is any different than inner city folks turning on hydrants in the summer time to play in/cool off.

Well, that's dangerous because on really hot days so many hydrants get opened that water pressure falls and fire fighters have trouble putting out blazes...

[KevinD]

This I know, but, that didn't seem to stop it, and I don't recall anyone ever getting arrested or fined for it. Heck, I even remember it being "promoted" on Sesame Street.
(retired vol firefighter, remember?)

[Godfather]

:mrgreen: Hockey :mrgreen:

I kinda wana offer to pay this bill for them just because of how special outdoor hockey is.

[JoeyB]

This I know, but, that didn't seem to stop it, and I don't recall anyone ever getting arrested or fined for it. Heck, I even remember it being "promoted" on Sesame Street.
(retired vol firefighter, remember?)

I do recall yes, the firefighter thing.

The park I live in has only a couple of hydrants, one is literally right across the street from me and like thirty feet from my front door. So, whenever there is a fire or emergency call in the park, a hose is left there with a man or two as a backup if they need it. About a year ago they could not get the damn hydrant opened, and I'm sure you know how hard firefighters will try. I mean, they did apparently finally work it free, but by that point the fire was out and the truck was back for the hose and the men.

Now, I can't say that is connected to what happened next, but for the next two or three weeks the park did a lot of maintenance on the hydrant, stripping off old layers of paint, adding new plugs, and putting on one good red coat.

Again, I can't say it's connected, but I'm pretty fucking sure somebody from the fire department raised hell and got things taken care of.

[KevinD]

Hmm, that could be both on the city and the FD. We used to regularly use all the hydrants in out area during our weekly training exercises, precisely to ensure that they were all in good working order. Now, our area was a very small community, thus, in a large area, I could see where this would be a problem. After all civilians just hate it when fire trucks are blocking off streets, lol

[JoeyB]

Hmm, that could be both on the city and the FD. We used to regularly use all the hydrants in out area during our weekly training exercises, precisely to ensure that they were all in good working order. Now, our area was a very small community, thus, in a large area, I could see where this would be a problem. After all civilians just hate it when fire trucks are blocking off streets, lol

Well that can be inconvenient...but all the streets are very narrow around my house, and something along the order of three quarters of the people in our area are elderly, and elderly people call for an ambulance often, and those arrive with fire trucks, and, well...you get used to the blockage.

Personally, I'm glad to see it taken care of.

[KevinD]

I was giving a friend's mother a ride to the store years ago (before I was in FD) we drove by a local station in Houston, and the trucks rolled out full sirens and all. She said something like "That has to be to worst sound, it always means someone needs help." I replied, "To those that need the help, it's probably one of the best sounds there is"

[traveler]

Good point, KD.

[JoeyB]

I was giving a friend's mother a ride to the store years ago (before I was in FD) we drove by a local station in Houston, and the trucks rolled out full sirens and all. She said something like "That has to be to worst sound, it always means someone needs help." I replied, "To those that need the help, it's probably one of the best sounds there is"

And of course, she missed the most important fact of all...it's a sound you always hear and pay immediate attention to. Which is the whole point.

[KevinD]

And of course, she missed the most important fact of all...it's a sound you always hear and pay immediate attention to. Which is the whole point.

hahahah, you'd be amazed at the amount of folks who don't pay any attention to the sirens, or if they do, they have no clue what to do when they hear one. It's that and many other things that make me think it should be mandatory to retake a written and driving test every time you renew your license.