If anyone is interested, the original news article about the non-standard hydrant fittings seems to have generated some attention. Here's a follow-up article on the SFFD chief's proposal.

Basically, he wants to fabricate an additional 1,000 adapters, and store them at four strategic locations along the freeways leading into San Francisco for distribution to fire crews as they arrive into the city.

Seems slightly less problematic than the current situation where there's a stockpile of extra adapters in ONE warehouse. But still, in a massive disaster like an earthquake, where far flung agencies will dispatch help, there's no guarantee that the freeways will even be passable. And once outside agencies start pouring in through side streets, what then?

Again, I'm not talking about the surrounding jurisdictions where adapters have already been distributed. I'm talking about the chaotic situation after a massive disaster where fire crews from outside the mutual aid agencies start arriving from every which way. If NO is any example, city agencies will have no communications beyond runners for at least a couple days and difficulty just moving about the city. Seems like they're making a big assumption that those four points are where the incoming responders will pass through. Anyways, the saga continues...