Suction Hose - #06 - Winfield Engine 142 - Tanker Fill Site Ops with 100-feet of Suction Hose
 
By President Mark Davis
May 18, 2017
 

On May 7th, Winfield VFD's Engine 142 participated in the Maryland State Firemans Association's rural water supply drill held in New Market, Maryland. The engine and crew were used to run a tanker fill site at a nearby pond. Engine 142 is a 4-Guys pumper outfitted with a 1,500 gpm Hale Qmax pump, a Trident Automatic Air Primer, 40-feet of suction hose, and 2,200-feet of 5-inch LDH - plus a variety of other water supply appliances. Because the pond proved to be an excellent water source, the engine crew was able to draft using dual suction inlets - an operation which required more than the 40 feet if suction hose carried on the unit. The crew found additional suction hose on the tankers as they came in to load. That suction hose was used obtain a draft using the pumper's front intake which increased pump output.

Again, this was a good example of the need for rural pumpers to carry more than the standard 20-ft of suction hose.
 
Using dual suctions allowed Engine 142 to improve its pump capability and thus load tankers more efficiently. Forty feet of suction hose was used on the driver side intake and 100-ft of suction hose was used on the front intake. (Photo by Tim Legore)
Using dual suctions allowed Engine 142 to improve its pump capability and thus load tankers more efficiently. Forty feet of suction hose was used on the driver side intake and 100-ft of suction hose was used on the front intake. (Photo by Tim Legore)
Engine 142 drafted from the pond and used 5-inch LDH to supply a tanker loading station. (Photo by Tim Legore)
Engine 142 drafted from the pond and used 5-inch LDH to supply a tanker loading station. (Photo by Tim Legore)