Some tests can't be reproduced in a lab. The kind where a hydrant sits in the middle of an open field, a hose winds through tall grass, and a volunteer firefighter handles the device just as they would on an actual call, under the sun, with gloves on.
That's exactly what we went looking for when we joined the first-response fire station of L'Abergement-Clémenciat for a series of field trials on the local hydrant network.
A crew, a real-world testing ground
The first-response fire station of L'Abergement-Clémenciat is responsible for fire and rescue missions in its commune. It was within this setting that their team agreed to test HYDRIQ 65 on several fire hydrants, under real operating conditions.
In practice, that meant pulling the equipment out of the truck, connecting it to hydrants with varying configurations — an underground stopcock in an open field, a standard pillar hydrant along a country lane — unrolling hoses, and running the device just as it would be used on a training exercise or an actual call.
What these trials taught us
On site, HYDRIQ 65 was connected directly at the hydrant outlet to measure flow and residual pressure, with live readings on the onboard display. The firefighters handled the device in conditions very different from a workshop: wet grass, sloped ground, quick reconnections between one test and the next.
This kind of feedback is invaluable. A measurement instrument built for fire services has to be designed for gloved hands, fast readability, and rugged reliability — not for a desk. Every field trial like this one either confirms a design choice or flags a detail to adjust before the next production run.
A collaboration that becomes a partnership
Beyond the technical trials, we're proud to announce that we are now the official sponsor of the volunteer firefighter crew of L'Abergement-Clémenciat.
This support was an easy call for us. HYDRIQ keeps being shaped by the people who work in the field for real — not for a demo. Backing a crew of volunteer firefighters is a concrete way to give back what they give us: an honest testing ground, unfiltered feedback, and a shared commitment to serving others.
Thank you to the whole team for their welcome and professionalism