Drafting most always involves the use of water that has some type of debris or contaminant in it: pebbles, leaves, aquatic vegetation, silt, etc. It is very important to always take the time to back flush a fire pump after that pump has been used in a drafting operation. Because even though we use strainers and intake screens, foreign objects and debris can still make their way inside the pump and cause damage to various pump components and accessories.

The easiest (and probably best) way to backflush a fire pump is to use clean hydrant water from a municipal water system. However, in a rural area, such water may not be readily available. In that case, one may have to resort to using water "back at the fire house" to conduct the back flushing operation. Be sure to check all intake screens for blockage and contamination.