What purpose do fire hydrants serve in firefighting operations?

The primary purpose of fire hydrants is to provide a readily accessible water supply for firefighting operations. When a fire breaks out, firefighters need to act quickly to contain and extinguish the flames, making immediate access to water crucial. Fire hydrants are strategically placed throughout communities, ensuring that fire engines can connect to them and quickly draw large volumes of water needed to suppress a fire.

While access for emergency personnel and marking evacuation routes are important for overall emergency response, they do not directly address the immediate needs during a firefighting scenario. Similarly, alerting the public in case of fire is not a function of fire hydrants; this task typically falls to alarm systems or public notification methods. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the essential role that fire hydrants play in providing the water necessary to combat fires effectively.