Meet Jacob Danek: The Project Research Engineer Behind the SEQUOIA™ Wet Barrel Fire Hydrant

Learn more about the SEQUOIA wet barrel hydrant here.

For AMERICAN Flow Control/AMERICAN Innovation Project Research Engineer Jacob Danek, the opportunity to use his mechanical engineering degree to create new products from start to finish was an exciting one. Danek had been a part of the electric race team while at Purdue University and was looking for a job that combined his engineering knowledge with hands-on experience.

Danek joined the AMERICAN Innovation team in June 2020, after graduating in May. “I went to a career fair at Purdue and my roommate pointed out the opening at AMERICAN,” Danek said. “I talked with Jeff Henkle and the rest is history.

“It is rare for an engineer to be able to develop an initial plan and then work with others to design, build and test a prototype and be hands-on throughout the process in bringing a product to market,” Danek said. “I’m thankful to have this opportunity.”  

One product Danek was instrumental in creating was the AFC SEQUOIA wet barrel fire hydrant, which was introduced at the American Water Works Association’s Annual Conference and Exhibition (ACE) in June 2024. Danek served as the primary engineer for the SEQUOIA project, designing the hydrant with plenty of brainstorming and support from others. “We had lots of ideas, but it was my job to take all the details and put them together.

 “Our goal with the design of the SEQUOIA was that it would be easy for customers to access and maintain,” Danek continued. “It uses the same quarter-turn nozzle that’s on AMERICAN’s dry-barrel hydrants, has fewer parts and offers the best flow performance at 350 psi rated pressure. SEQUOIA is everything customers asked for, and we feel it is the best wet-barrel hydrant on the market in terms of quality and performance.”

When asked what he wants others to know about the work being done at AMERICAN Innovation, Danek said, “As a team, we are committed to coming up with new ideas and getting feedback and input from customers. We have the time, tools and the facilities to explore all options.”