He and an industrial designer named Colin Kelly came up with four prototypes called Splash Spots that have eye appeal. The Fire Department worries about low water pressure when hydrants are open, a potentially serious problem when a call comes in and fire trucks go out. Sprinkler caps, which firehouses can make available on request, cut the flow to 25 to 30 gallons a minute, by Kelly’s calculations. Splash Spots send out about half that, and unlike the Fire Department’s sprinkler caps, they can be turned on and off, saving even more when a sprinkler is not needed. “I was out for a run over the July 4 weekend, and I passed a street with a hydrant with a spray cap,” Gordon said.

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Persons: Colin Kelly, ”, Jeffrey LeFrancois, Kelly, ” Gordon Organizations: Chelsea, Management Association, Fire Department Foundation, Department Locations: Meatpacking