Hauling Water in South Onondaga, New York
 
By President Mark Davis
August 4, 2014
 

Chief Erik Nelson and the folks at the South Onondaga VFD (New York) hosted our 2-day Rural Water Supply Operations Seminar on August 2nd and 3rd. As usual, the seminar culminated with a 2-hour tanker shuttle operation. Crews worked really hard to "beat the clock" and get the initial flow going without the use of a nurse tanker - and they were successful! An average flow of 792 gpm was attained during the 2-hour period with a peak flow of 1,000 gpm for 58 minutes - using just six tankers and one fill site. We have included a few photos from the drill and will post a full summary in a few weeks. Instructors for the seminar were Mark Davis and Alan Butsch.

Many thanks to the folks at SOVFD for the excellent logisitical support that they provided for the seminar - the food was great, the facility was great, and participants were a pleasure to work with.

We are also pleased to report that the seminar's T-shirt and hat raffle raised enough money for the 35th brick in the NFFF Walk-Of-Honor at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland!
 
South Onondaga's Tanker 5 - 2,500 gallons of pure water supply support delivery.
South Onondaga's Tanker 5 - 2,500 gallons of pure water supply support delivery.
First-arriving crews hustle to get the first dump tank (3,000 gal) set-up before the 5-minute mark was hit.
First-arriving crews hustle to get the first dump tank (3,000 gal) set-up before the 5-minute mark was hit.
 
Navarino FD's tanker dumps its water after arriving as part of the first tanker task force.
Navarino FD's tanker dumps its water after arriving as part of the first tanker task force.
South Onondaga's Engine 2 (1,250 gpm) got a real workout as the only fiill site pumper. It drafted from a stream through 20-ft of hard suction hose and a floating strainer.
South Onondaga's Engine 2 (1,250 gpm) got a real workout as the only fiill site pumper. It drafted from a stream through 20-ft of hard suction hose and a floating strainer.
 
Sentinal Heights' tanker gets ready to dump its 2,000 gallons of water.
Sentinal Heights' tanker gets ready to dump its 2,000 gallons of water.
A few of the jet siphons were controlled using a gated wye placed on one of Engine 6's 2-1/2" discharges.
A few of the jet siphons were controlled using a gated wye placed on one of Engine 6's 2-1/2" discharges.
 
The three-dump tank set-up was able to sustain a 1,000 gpm flow for just shy of one hour.
The three-dump tank set-up was able to sustain a 1,000 gpm flow for just shy of one hour.
Engine 6 eventually used three suction intakes to support the operation: two 6-inch lines and one 2-1/2-inch suction line.
Engine 6 eventually used three suction intakes to support the operation: two 6-inch lines and one 2-1/2-inch suction line.