Hauling Water - Seacoast Style!
 
By President Mark Davis
June 7, 2018
 

On June 3rd, folks from the Stratham VFD (New Hampshire) and a few surrounding FDs refined their water hauling skills by running a 2-hr water supply drill. The drill was the culmination of our 16-hr Rural Water Supply Operations Seminar that was sponsored and hosted by the Stratham VFD. The weekend was spent reviewing the key points of water hauling operations and the best practices associated with tanker operations. The focus of the 2-hr drill on Sunday was the transition of water supply operations from a rural hitch to a dump tank operation. The folks did a great job making that transition without any interruption in water flow. Many thanks to the Stratham VFD for the excellent logistical support and to the Ladies Auxiliary for the outstanding "break time" support. Instructors for the weekend were Mark Davis and Alan Butsch. A complete summary will be posted in a coupe of weeks.
 
Reviewing tanker loading operations.
Reviewing tanker loading operations.
Reviewing dump tank arrangement choices.
Reviewing dump tank arrangement choices.
 
Dover Engine 7 - 1500 gpm/1000 gal.
Dover Engine 7 - 1500 gpm/1000 gal.
Practicing drafting from a dry fire hydrant.
Practicing drafting from a dry fire hydrant.
 
Reviewing jet siphon set-up choices.
Reviewing jet siphon set-up choices.
Practicing a two-tank dump site operation.
Practicing a two-tank dump site operation.
 
Suction elbow use helps ensure a better intake flow for the pump.
Suction elbow use helps ensure a better intake flow for the pump.
A TFT control valve in use at the tanker loading site.
A TFT control valve in use at the tanker loading site.
 
Examining loading pressures at the tanker direct fill inlet.
Examining loading pressures at the tanker direct fill inlet.
Reviewing TurboDraft operations.
Reviewing TurboDraft operations.
 
Deploying TurboDraft.
Deploying TurboDraft.
Deploying Turbo Draft.
Deploying Turbo Draft.
 
Turbo Draft's output.
Turbo Draft's output.
Dover Engine 7 practices fill site operations supplied using an open relay and Turbo Draft.
Dover Engine 7 practices fill site operations supplied using an open relay and Turbo Draft.
 
Turbo Draft in use.
Turbo Draft in use.
Hampton Falls Tanker 4 - 1000 gpm/2500 gal.
Hampton Falls Tanker 4 - 1000 gpm/2500 gal.
 
Stratham Tanker 8 - 2000 gpm/3000 gal
Stratham Tanker 8 - 2000 gpm/3000 gal
Stratham Engine 1 - 1500 gpm/1000 gal.
Stratham Engine 1 - 1500 gpm/1000 gal.
 
Tanker 8 supports the rural hitch.
Tanker 8 supports the rural hitch.
Loading operations at the fill site.
Loading operations at the fill site.
 
Dover Engine 7 operates as the dump site engine as Stratham Tanker 8 arrives just in time to dump its 3,000 gallons of water.
Dover Engine 7 operates as the dump site engine as Stratham Tanker 8 arrives just in time to dump its 3,000 gallons of water.
A bit of a clog.
A bit of a clog.
 
The water supply drill used a 2-tank arrangement.
The water supply drill used a 2-tank arrangement.
Dumping and transferring water.
Dumping and transferring water.
 
Engine 1 pumps off water (far left) back to the primary dump tank while leaving room for Tanker 8 to dump its water.
Engine 1 pumps off water (far left) back to the primary dump tank while leaving room for Tanker 8 to dump its water.
Loading Tanker 4 using dual fill lines equipped with 3-inch cam lock fittings.
Loading Tanker 4 using dual fill lines equipped with 3-inch cam lock fittings.