During our 2013, 16-hr Rural Water Supply Operations Seminar in Ashville, NY we had the opportunity to load a couple of vacuum tankers using a dry fire hydrant. As noted in a number of discussions in our Members Area, perhaps the greatest advantage of these type of water hauling rigs is the ability to self-load at NFPA 1901 design rates without the need for a pumper at the water source. The photos in this story show Ashville Tanker 301 (4200 gal) and Kiatone Tanker 361 (2700 gal) self-loading through a 6-inch dry fire hydrant connection that was located just over 200-feet away from the water source (pond). The two rigs hauled plenty of loads of water and no engine crew was ever needed at this fill site. (The video clip is a bit "Blair Witch-like...that was our early model camera....sorry)