Fire hydrants, every block has one or two, and if you're like me, you don't really ever give them a second thought. Your dog, on the other hand, well, that's a different story, as you know, a fire hydrant is their favorite spot to congregate while on a walk.

I guess, come to think of it, fire hydrants do become more top of mind for most humans once winter comes rolling around, that's when the City of Sioux Falls reminds all of its residents to keep them free from snow to make it easier for the fire department to find them in the event of a house fire on your block during the winter months.

But, here's something you probably didn't know, all Sioux Falls fire hydrants are not created equal. In some cases, there are different colored hydrants, and it's not because somebody thought it would be cool to paint one red, one purple, one yellow, and another blue for decoration purposes.

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Believe it or not, each different colored hydrant has its own important meaning.

According to the gang at Businessinsider.com, certain colored hydrants are meant for different types of fires. Each colored hydrant represents a different GPM (Gallons Per Minute) capability.

For instance, Businessinsider says, a Red-colored hydrant is the most common fire hydrant found, as is capable of doing 500 GPM or less, which is ideal for helping to extinguish a 2-story house fire that's 50 ft by 50 ft and 20 ft tall.

An Orange hydrant is designed to produce 500-1,000 GPM. That's ideal for combating a blaze in a 4-story house that's 50 ft by 50 ft and 40 ft tall.

A Green hydrant is capable of producing 1000 to 1500 GPM. That hydrant is best suited to help a fire department battle a blaze in a 4-story home that's 61 by 61 and 40 ft tall.

And a Blue fire hydrant will generate 1500 GPM or more. That hydrant has the ability to produce enough water to help fight a fire in larger structures like a 4-story house that's 70 by 70 feet and 40 ft tall.

Here's another interesting little factoid courtesy of Businessinsider, not all colored fire hydrants refer to Gallons Per Minute.

Should you see a hydrant that is Violet colored, that means the water inside it comes from a lake or pond.

And Yellow colored hydrants mean they're really popular with neighborhood dogs. Okay, not really. A hydrant colored Yellow signifies that water comes from a public supply system.

Now that you know everything there is to know about various colored fire hydrants, you can really impress all your neighbors with your immense fire hydrant knowledge at your next block party, or your kids the next time you take them for a walk.

Source: Businessinsider.com