The Miami‑Dade County Tourism Committee voted to ask county staff for a countywide report within 90 days on the condition and readiness of fire hydrants, with a particular emphasis on unincorporated areas and municipalities, following concerns raised about the impact of recent fires in California.

The request, moved by Commissioner Regalado and seconded during the meeting, directs staff to provide the full county commission with a report that separates municipalities from unincorporated Miami‑Dade and notes which areas lack access to hydrants or rely on wells or septic systems.

Committee members were told by a Miami‑Dade County Water and Sewer Department representative that a dedicated team now maintains the county’s hydrants. “All 47,000 have been tested,” the representative said, adding that hydrants identified as needing work were rebuilt and that a complete hydraulic model analysis of the county’s water system was finished last year.

A county official told committee members that some unincorporated communities rely on wells and septic systems and therefore lack hydrants; those communities must invest in infrastructure to gain hydrant access. The official said Pinecrest used pandemic relief funds and county bond money to connect to the county water system after losing fire‑insurance advantages tied to hydrant access.

Committee members also heard that the county’s fire service underwent an Insurance Services Office (ISO) review last year and “were awarded the prestigious classification of a number 1 fire department,” a county representative said during the meeting.

The motion calls for staff to distinguish between municipal systems and county‑maintained systems and to encourage municipalities to check hydrants and water pressure. Committee members suggested the report include areas served by independent water systems and note where the county lacks jurisdiction.

The committee set a 90‑day target for the report during the meeting. The motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Votes at a glance
• Motion to request a countywide fire‑hydrant status report (90 days) — mover: Commissioner Regalado; second: Commissioner Bastien; outcome: approved by voice vote, no opposition recorded.

Ending
The committee’s request directs staff to return to the full county commission with findings; the report is to clarify which areas lack hydrants, which systems are county‑maintained and which are municipal or independent, and to recommend follow‑up steps for communities that lack hydrants.