A few photos from 10 years ago when we helped a department with the change-over from 6-inch threaded to 6-inch cam lock suction fittings. The process was really pretty simple. Because the suction hose was carried in compartment troughs on the pumper, the 10-ft lengths were from threaded coupling end to threaded coupling end. The cam lock fittings are bigger so the hose had to be trimmed some so ... (Full Story & Photos)

From our 2014 seminar in Peace River, Alberta, a few photos of St Isidore/Three Creeks VFD's 3500-USG tender. The folks had the rig built locally and fashioned a "tracked" dump tank rack that used an electric winch and cables to lower and stow twin dump tanks. It seemed to work quite well and the rig did a really nice job of hauling water during our drill. We always enjoy getting to see some good ... (Full Story & Photos)

Some photos from our 2011 seminar in Morrisvale, WV where the folks ended up using a floating pump to transfer water during a 4-dump tank, 1000 gpm flow operation. The portable pump was driven by an 8-hp motor and was capable of 250 gpm at about 12 psi discharge pressure according manufacturer specs. We had no way of measuring flow that day but the pump supplied water to the primary dump tank using ... (Full Story & Photos)

Since we are heading to Bastrop, Texas in just under 30 days to deliver another one of our 16-hr Rural Water Supply Operation Seminars we thought we would post some portable pump photos from our 2014 seminar there. The 2014 seminar was our second trip to Bastrop and we were very impressed with their ability to use portable pumps (modified) to support open relay fill site operations. The photos in ... (Full Story & Photos)

These photos are from our 2013 seminar in Turtle, Wisconsin where we got to use a variety of different style tankers to haul water. The twin (kind of fraternal), 2000-gal tankers from the Turtle FD were quite effective in hauling water and were nicely equipped to support both fill site and dump site operations. At the time they carried two, 3000-gallon dump tanks, a 400 gpm portable pump, and a ... (Full Story & Photos)

We often point out the diminished flow ability of a front suction intake on a traditional midship-mount fire pump. In most all cases the reduced flow issue is related to pipe sizing and the elbows (bends) needed to clear the front axle. These photos show a good example of how 5-inch piping was used to plumb the 6-inch front intake back to the lower intake port on the Hale QMax pump. The photos ... (Full Story & Photos)

NFPA 1962 addresses the service testing of fire hose, nozzles, and appliances. Part of a service testing program is the pressure testing of LDH appliances. The majority of the LDH appliances that we encounter in our seminar travels are of the casted type and the quality of those products are only as good as the quality of the casting process and the material used to make the device. We then add ... (Full Story & Photos)

We always appreciate anything that can be done to bring efficiency to a tanker loading operation. During our 2018 seminar in Oconee County, SC we got to work with a number of tankers that were set-up for the efficient set up of loading operations....meaning the "build-out" did not take long. Crossroads Tanker 13 (3,000 gal) runs pre-connected fill lines equipped with cam-lock fittings and gate valves. ... (Full Story & Photos)