Over the next century, citizens illegally opening hydrants became something of a New York tradition on hot summer days, though not without its dangers. Grateful tenement-dwelling families came out in droves to get relief from cramped living conditions and poor air circulation. Fire hydrants were also opened up to help clean up and cool off the streets. ![]() Bans on sleeping in city parks were suspended temporarily to let overheated citizens spent nights out in the open without being arrested. In the midst of the crisis, police commissioner Teddy Roosevelt (yes, that one!) set about distributing free ice, particularly in poorer areas of the city. Some even slept on rooftops or fire escapes, which led to injuries and deaths from rolling off of buildings. ![]() In a time before air conditioning or the widespread use of electric fans, citizens were hit hard by the sweltering heat. Densely paved and packed places were devastated Lower Manhattan alone had over 1,000 deaths. When a heatwave swept the East Coast in 1896, cities were hit especially hard as urban heat island effects drove up already soaring temperatures. But historically, officials have outright sanctioned such openings at times, particularly during periods when citizens were clearly and broadly suffering amidst extreme hot spells. The New York City government in particular has gone back and forth on the issue of opening hydrants. ![]() While removing caps still technically illegal in many cities, it’s common to find firefighters lending a hand and helping people open hydrants in a more controlled fashion during the dog days of summer. It’s a classic city scene: kids playing outside in the spray of fire hydrants, wrenched open and spilling water out onto the sizzling streets of the Big Apple.
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