On a map of Greenville's fire hydrants hanging in the borough's fire station, the single fire hydrant for Greenville High School is marked with a red dot.

Around the school, the map is peppered with red and black dots, which denote fire hydrants that don't supply enough pressure to fight a fire.

"It's always been a concern of mine," said Greenville fire chief Stephen Thompson. "If a fire would break out, we wouldn't be able to meet the flow needs."

When he heard the Greenville Municipal Authority was considering running a new water line near the school, Thompson saw his chance to get fire protection for the students in the school improved.

On Thompson's behalf, Borough Manager Vance Oakes asked the water authority to consider adding two hydrants on either side of the school on Donation Road.

"Right now, the one fire hydrant supplies about 450 gallons per minute," Thompson said, adding that according to fire protection standards, a building of that size should have 4,000 gallons per minute available for fire fighting.

Water Authority superintendent Bill Brady wrote to the school board and administration, asking for a meeting to discuss the project, fire protection needs at the school and the possibility of receiving financial help on part of the project.

In the $600,000 water line improvement project, Brady said, the school water line and fire hydrant improvements would cost around $74,000.

Brady told the authority's board Tuesday night he'd received a response from school Superintendent Dr. Patricia Homer.

In a letter sent to the water board, Dr. Homer wrote, "We believe we currently have sufficient protection and are not able to participate financially with the project you have outlined."