Fire AF
Dalmatians, No Parking Zones, and How to Help
Hello Curious Readers. I’m squeezing one more newsletter out of January because I’ve had so much on my mind, largely the tragic California fires.
I’ve regularly checked in with my dear friend and book publicist Trina Kaye who lives and works in Los Angeles. I visited last March and wrote about the trip. I stood in places that are now gone! This is hard to hold in my heart.
California’s needs will continue well after the fires are out. And thankfully weekend rain and fire fighters have contained the blazes. Though landslides are a new threat. You can see the latest stats on the Cal Fire website.
But, all this talk about the fires had me thinking about fire adjacent things: Dalmatian dogs and fire hydrants. How did the Dalmatian become synonymous with firehouses and who invented the fire hydrant?
A Woof at Dalmatians and Firehouses
Fun facts:
Dalmatians are born white and their spots develop 10-14 days later
No two dogs have the same spot pattern
Dalmatian spots come in black, liver, 1brindle, blue, and lemon. I haven’t been able to see a difference in blue vs black in any photos so if you are owned by one of these beautifies I’d love a picture.
It was believed Dalmatians were firedogs because they are deaf and can’t hear the bells and sirens. Not completely true. About 30% of Dalmatians are deaf or develop deafness due to genetics. This is a common problem in pure bred breeds.
Here’s a cutie lemon spotted Dalmatian.
I began digging for Dalmatian information with the official entry on the American Kennel Club website
Dalmatians are an ancient breed that is grouped with retrievers but the dogs don’t exactly fall into the retriever category.
Seeing Spots
Spotted dogs are reported in history as far back as 3700 BCE and a theory exists that Dalmatians may be a cross between a Creten dog breed and a white antelope dog. The dog’s name may be from the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia where the breed was popular in the 1800s or “Some argue that it’s a time-smoothed version of “Damachien.” This is a portmanteau of “dama,” the Latin term for fallow deer, and the French word for dog.”
Dogs at Work
Despite the breeds early mystery origins, the dogs’ history as working animals is well documented. Dalmatians love to run and were part of hunting groups and carriage crews because they could run for miles along side the horses.
One source described how carriages were often robbed and carriage drivers either had to stay awake all night to keep watch or employ a Dalmatian to do the job. Additionally, Dalmatians were known to bond with horses. Horses are social animals and the company of Dalmatians was comforting. This was especially important when horses were used to draw fire carriages. The commotion of a fire often spooked the horses and the dogs were calming forces. This led to Dalmatians in firehouses.
Today you’ll find Dalmatians in firehouses as a nod to tradition but they are loyal dogs and provide a mental boost to firefighters.
And what would a discussion about dogs be without a discussion of fire hydrants? Click here for a video on Fire Hydrant Syndrome.
No Parking!
I’m not alone questioning the way some people park their cars. Whether they double park, park over the lines, or park at an obnoxious angle. But one universal driving rule that is like touching a third rail is no parking in front of a fire hydrant. Granted you’ll receive an immediate ticket and potentially towed or worse (see below) but most drivers know, do not attempt.
He was a Fireplug of a Man
I’m speaking of Frederick Graff Sr. who in 1803 is credited for inventing the first cast iron hydrant with the valve on the lower half. (I actually have no idea if he looked like his design). Prior to the Graff design, other hydrant designs and wooden water mains were in use.
This link includes a short video on the history of fire hydrants and the article inclues photos.
I was interested to learn that hydrants are painted different colors to indicate whether the water is potable and the expected water pressure. Colors can differ between municipalities.
Hydrant Facts:
Hydrants are always found by curbs as that is were water mains are located
The average hydrant is 3-feet tall
Wet barrel hydrants found in Florida and Southern California always have water in therm
Dry barrel hydrants are empty to prevent the water inside from freezing in winter
An article from 2015 states there are 7.5 million hydrants in the United
States
Writing about a fire outside of the US? This article tells you what hydrants are called
Like all research itches, I was amazed to see dozens of pictures, articles, and videos on how hydrants work.
The world’s largest working fire hydrant is in Beaumont, Texas.
Are you passing through Decatur, Illinois? Stop by the Hieronymous Mueller Museum to see the temporary exhibit running through February 2025 on fire hydrants.
You can find dedicated fire fighting museums all over the country.
Keep the Hope Lit
The January fires may be contained, and out in most areas, but the rebuilding and ongoing needs have just begun. Here is a list or organizations where you can donate money to help victims. Last year Asheville, NC had devastating floods, this year Los Angeles went up in flames. Climate change will continue to create weather emergencies. But community will always survive.
Warning! Please vet all organizations before making a donation. Scammers love disasters. You can read about scammers from an earlier issue.
Where to Find Me
I’ll be signing books February 1 at the Barnes and Noble in Manassas, Virginia. February 5 at the Army Navy Club in Arlington, Virginia, and March 1 at the Barnes and Noble at One Loudon in Ashburn, Virginia. If you’re local, I’d love you to come by and say hello!
The Pelican Tide is on sale for a few more days on Amazon, order a copy for your Valentine!
Brindle is best described as stripey. When I went viewed photos, I was reminded of fudge ripple ice cream.
Blue is like that shade that your favorite black pants used to be, but now that you've paired them with a new black sweater, they don't look black in comparison. They're not exactly gray or charcoal, but they're definitely not black anymore.
I love that description!