Fireboat Supports Tanker Fill Site Operations
 
By President Mark Davis
December 4, 2014
 

In April 2008, the Maryland State Fireman's Association's Rural Water Supply Committee held its Spring Drill in the Baden area of Prince George's County. The tanker shuttle operation was huge using two dump sites and four fill sites. Two of the fills sites used marine firefighting vessels to support tanker fill operations. Fireboat 8 from the 10th District Volunteer Fire Company (Charles County, MD) supported one of the tanker fill sites. The fireboat pumped a 4-inch supply line back to an LDH manifold on the shore which was used to load tankers. We are unsure of the fire boat's pump size, we were told maybe 750 gpm - but think it was a 500 gpm pump. Regardless - the fireboat crew did a great job supporting the tanker fill operation. (The 10th District VFC has replaced the fireboat shown in this story with a newer, larger vessel.)
 
Fireboat 8 takes a position just off shore on the Patuxent River. The pumper on the left is not being supplied by the fireboat - it is drafting and running a seperate loading operation.
Fireboat 8 takes a position just off shore on the Patuxent River. The pumper on the left is not being supplied by the fireboat - it is drafting and running a seperate loading operation.
The fireboat was able to pump a 4-inch line that fed an LDH manifold on shore.
The fireboat was able to pump a 4-inch line that fed an LDH manifold on shore.
 
The fireboat was used to fill the smaller engine/tankers and the yellow pumper (1,500 gpm) was used to load the large tankers.
The fireboat was used to fill the smaller engine/tankers and the yellow pumper (1,500 gpm) was used to load the large tankers.
The dump site operation was quite impressive.
The dump site operation was quite impressive.