Pumper apparatus positioning and connection

Pumper Positioning

Elevated Stream Operations

  • Position pumpers providing water supply for elevated stream operations as closely as practical to aerial apparatus.
  • Consider friction loss due to distance and elevation.
  • Position pumping apparatus equipped with elevated master stream devices in the same manner as aerial apparatus providing fire suppression.
  • Fire prevention planners should review urban designs to ensure they don't hamper apparatus access.

Fire Department Connections (FDC)

  • Position pumper as close as possible to the water source to supply FDC efficiently which is determined through preincident planning.
  • First-arriving pumper often supports the FDC.
  • Hydrant is often located near FDC for easy water supply.
  • If using a static water supply, pumper may need to locate at the source; relay or water shuttle may be needed if distance is great.
Definition
  • Fire Department Connection (FDC): Point where fire department connects into sprinkler/standpipe system to boost water pressure and flow, typically a clappered siamese with two 2.5-inch intakes or one large-diameter intake.
  • Relay: Shuttle water between a source and an emergency scene using mobile water supply apparatus.
Caution
  • Driver/operators should not cross-contaminate a nonpotable water source and a potable water supply.

Water Source Supply Pumpers

  • Pumpers may position at a distant water source to pump water to the apparatus at the fire scene.

Drafting Operations

  • Required when pumper is supplied from a static water supply source (dry hydrant, storage tank, lake, or stream).
  • Drafting pumpers may supply apparatus at the fireground directly or serve as source pumpers for relay/water shuttle operations.
  • Common in rural areas, but may be needed in urban areas.
Planning
  • Fire departments should identify suitable drafting sites in their response district during preincident planning, recording location, approximate volume, and access.
  • Prefer drafting locations accessible from a hard surface with minimum hard intake hose length/lift to maximize discharge capabilities.
  • Bridges and boat ramps can be good drafting locations.
Cautions
  • Be wary of drafting from locations off hard surfaces; may become soft when wet.
  • Surfaces near waterways may be unstable.
  • Conduct a risk/benefit analysis for questionable locations.
Definitions
  • Drafting: Acquiring water from a static source and transferring it into a pump above the source's level.
  • Static Water Supply: Water at rest without pressure head, used as a suction source for fire pumps (e.g., reservoir, pond).

Dry Hydrant

  • Permanently installed pipe with pumper suction connections at static water sources to speed drafting.
  • Install dry hydrants at suitable drafting locations, consisting of an intake hose connection on shore and a pipe into the water with a strainer.
  • Dry hydrants should be flow tested to determine capabilities.
Caution
  • Personnel working near bodies of water must wear a personal flotation device (PFD).

Hydrant Operations

  • Common water source is a fire hydrant.
  • Pumper can connect in several ways.
Hard Intake Hose
  • Use only hard intake hose designated to withstand positive pressure when connecting to a fire hydrant.
Gate Valves
  • Place gate valves on small diameter discharges of dry barrel hydrants before connecting to the large diameter discharge, allowing additional hoselines to be connected later without shutting down the hydrant.
Large Diameter Intake Hose
  • Preferred for hydrant connection; common in 100-foot lengths, with shorter sections available.
  • Know the position of the intake hose on the vehicle.
  • Stop close to the curb with pump intake a few feet short of being in line with the hydrant to avoid blocking the street.
Kinks
  • Stopping short allows the intake hose to curve slightly and prevent kinks.
  • Add a counterclockwise twist to the hose when connecting to minimize kinks.
Front and Rear Intakes
  • Stop a few feet short or beyond the hydrant to allow intake hose to curve.
  • Don't block access for later-arriving apparatus.
2½-inch Hydrant Outlets
  • Connect using one or two 2½ inch outlets when maximum flow is not required or large diameter hose is unavailable.
Multiple Intake Connections
  • Use a large diameter intake and smaller hoselines from a strong hydrant.

Dual Pumping Operations

  • A strong hydrant supplies two pumpers; pumpers are close to each other as attack pumpers.
Definition
  • Dual Pumping : Where a strong hydrant is used to supply two pumpers by connecting the pumpers intake-to-intake, the second pumper receives the excess water not being pumped by the first pumper, which is directly connected to the water supply source.

Tandem Pumping Operations

  • A form of relay pumping with pumpers close together to supply high-rise sprinkler/standpipe systems or when attack pumper is far from the fire.
  • The pumper connected to the water source pumps water to the intake(s) of the second engine, increasing pressure.
  • Apparatus may be located up to 300 feet apart.
  • Relay pumping increases water volume, while tandem pumping increases water pressure.
Definition
  • Tandem Pumping : Short relay operation in which the pumper taking water from the supply source pumps into the intake of the second pumper; the second pumper then boosts the pressure of the water even higher.
Note
  • Pressure supplied to fire hose should not exceed that at which the hose is annually tested per NFPA® 1962.

Positioning Wildland Fire Apparatus

  • Differs greatly from structural fire fighting; apparatus are seldom positioned in the same location for the duration of an incident.
  • Changing conditions may cause apparatus to reposition many times.
  • Some wildland fire apparatus are capable of conducting mobile (pump and roll) attack operations.
    *Structural fire pumpers may assist wildland operations by providing water resupply or direct fire attack and structure protection.

Structure Protection

  • Second only to life safety is the protection of property (structures) during fire fighting operations.
  • The wildland/urban interface poses challenges.
  • Structures may be on rural lanes, have long narrow driveways, and be surrounded by dry vegetation.