Hydrant Testing

Each year during the offseason, Nags Head Fire Rescue conducts critical fire hydrant testing to verify water flow that may be needed for fire protection. The testing is a requirement of the North Carolina Department of Insurance, Office of State Fire Marshal's Insurance Services Office (ISO) fire rating system.

All fire hydrants must be flow tested to determine the available water flow and pressures.

For the current location of the fire hydrant testing, please see the News Flash in the right upper corner of this page. If nothing is listed, then there are no plans to test a hydrant at this time. We will update this page and our Facebook page, with the latest testing location information.

You can also subscribe to receive email notifications when Nags Head Fire Rescue posts news, such as fire hydrant testing locations.

Testing takes place between 9 am and 5 pm.

Nags Head water customers in the hydrant testing area may experience the following temporary conditions after testing takes place: reduced water pressure and water discoloration.

Call Nags Head Fire Rescue at 252-441-5909 if you have any questions.

About the North Carolina Response Rating System

The North Carolina Response Rating System ranges from one (highest) to 10 (not recognized as a certified fire department by the state), with most rural departments falling into the 9S category. Nags Head property owners currently enjoy an ISO rating of 2. While lower ratings do not necessarily indicate poor service, a higher rating does suggest that a department is overall better equipped to respond to fires in its district. Higher ratings can also significantly lower homeowners insurance rates in that fire district.