Helpful hydrant.

• Position: What's New? - "Herbie Hydrant" fire safety aid for children - Brief Article

* Fire hydrants, of course, are invaluable when it's necessary to put out a blaze, and, moreover, they can be the centerpiece of a dog's social life. However, they can also be the means to ensure a child's safety. Herbie Hydrant: The Fire Safety Locating Device from Get Herbie, Inc., Mahwah, N.J., can literally mean the difference between life and death in case of a home conflagration.

This ingenious device was created by firefighter Mike Lucas, who all too well understands that, when confronted by a fire or other threatening circumstance, kids usually hide in closets or under beds, which could prove deadly. By training a youngster to grab this endearingly colorful cartoon-like item from a bedside charger, such a dire situation quite possibly can be avoided.

Until needed, Herbie serves as a nightlight/clock, the smiling face a reassuring companion in a dark room. Once it's removed from the charger base, it activates a series of strobe lights spaced around the hydrant cap's rim and triggers a built-in siren, a pair of signals to aid rescuers in finding the child in a smoke-filled room. A flashlight at the top of the hydrant can light the way for a youngster to make his or her escape along a route that has been preestablished by home fire drills, while a digital clock starts running...