We sometimes get asked about the performance of a dry fire hydrant when a suction head is a higher elevation than the suction inlet on the drafting pumper. We generally prefer to avoid that type of installation simply because the arrangement can sometimes prove problematic by creating an air pocket that gets trapped in the top of the pipe. However, we also have plenty of bridge mount installations where the elevated suction head exists and they all work just fine....especially with an experienced pump operator at the helm. When evaluating a bridge with a tall rail, we generally tell our client to first try drafting over the rail using their suction hose and if they are happy with the flow then our dry fire hydrant system will work for them. Sometimes, there is no other choice for accessing the water.