Ch 13 set 02: Water Supply Operations in Rural Firefighting

Why may rural incidents require mobile water supply operations?

Public distribution systems may be absent or provide inadequate volume or pressure.

What water-supply methods are identified for areas with inadequate distribution systems?

Water shuttles and relay pumping, supported by preincident planning and frequent practice.

What are examples of static water sources?

Lakes, ponds, rivers, swimming pools, large aboveground animal-watering tanks, and portable water tanks.

How is water obtained from a static source?

By drafting; some sources have a dry-hydrant connection that draws water from a low point in the source.

What can prevent a static source from being usable?

Lack of vehicle access, inability to draft, or ground that cannot safely support the apparatus.

Where is an intake strainer attached, and what does it do?

At the drafting end of hard-suction hose; it keeps debris out of the pump and nozzle.

What damage can debris entering an intake cause?

It can damage the pump or pass through and clog the nozzle.

When may a drafting strainer rest on the bottom?

Only when the bottom is clean and hard.

How can an intake strainer be kept off a lake or pond bottom?

Suspend it with rope from its eyelet to an apparatus or anchor point, or use a floating strainer.

What is a water shuttle?

Transporting water from a fill site to an incident and unloading into an attack pumper or portable tanks.

What are the three key parts of a water shuttle?

A dump site at the incident, a fill site at the water source, and mobile apparatus hauling between them.

How is water supplied from a shuttle dump site to the attack apparatus?

The attack pumper may draft directly from portable tanks, or another pumper may draft and supply it.

What devices help use most of the water in a portable tank?

Low-level intake devices and floating strainers.

What are the two principal portable water-tank designs?

A folding metal frame with a synthetic or canvas-duck liner, and a round self-supporting synthetic tank with a floating collar.

How does a self-supporting portable tank maintain its shape?

Its collar rises as water fills it; this frameless design is widely used in wildland firefighting.

How should the ground beneath a portable water tank be prepared?

Spread a salvage cover or heavy tarp to protect the liner; select ground as level as possible for maximum capacity.

What access considerations guide portable-tank placement?

Permit access from multiple directions and simultaneous offloading by more than one apparatus without blocking other fireground access.

Where should a portable-tank drain be positioned?

On the downhill side and away from the drafting tank.

What care is required for portable tanks, tarps, and siphons after use?

Clean and dry them before storage.

How can multiple portable tanks support a large water demand?

Dedicate one to the attack pumper and dump into the others; connect tanks through fittings or transfer water with jet siphons.

How is a jet siphon arranged to move water between portable tanks?

A 1½-inch discharge line supplies the siphon, which is attached to a hard sleeve placed between tanks.

What are the four basic ways to unload mobile water-supply apparatus?

Gravity dump, jet-assisted dump, apparatus-mounted pump, or a combination.

What gravity-dump valve sizes does the outline identify?

10- or 12-inch valves.

How can mobile water-supply apparatus be filled quickly?

Use the best available site or hydrant, large or multiple hoselines, and a pumper or multiple portable pumps if needed.

How should fill and dump sites be arranged for vehicle movement?

Minimize backing and maneuvering.