Back To Basics: Establishing Supply Lines

           b. Drafting involves the use of one or more sections of hard sleeve and some type of strainer

              device on the end of the hard sleeve

           c. The hard sleeve(s) should be connected and all connections are made air tight using a rubber

               mallet

           d. A strainer should be placed on the end of the hard sleeve that is to be placed in the water

               source (a low level strainer may be used with a portable tank) to prevent debris from

               damaging the pump

            e. The female connection on the hard sleeve should be connected to one of the steamer

                connections on the pumper (preferably one on either side of the pump rather than a front or

                rear intake)

            f. A rope should be attached to the strainer for later retrieval as well as to assist in keeping the

               strainer off the bottom of a pond, lake, or stream bed

            g. If large quantities of water are needed and pumper capacity is insufficient, more than one

                pumper may be used at the water source with the water being pumped into a Siamese or

                gated Siamese

      7. Water relay

            a. Involves the use of multiple pumpers to move water longer distances

            b. Begins at the water source with the supply pumper setting up at a hydrant or static source

            c. As each pumper to participate in the relay arrives, they begin laying hose from the supply

                pumper to the scene

            d. Each pumper participating in the relay should not generally lay more than 1,000 feet of hose

                to keep engine pressure down (lesser friction loss to overcome)

            e. The last pumper in the relay will supply water to the attack pumper

            f. Flow of water starts with the supply pumper

            g. Manifolds, water thiefs, or gated wyes may be used at the scene to provide water to more

                than one attack pumper

      8. Rural operation with nurse tanker or portable tank

            a. Lay LDH, either 4-inch or 5-inch, from end of lane back to fire scene

            b. Manifold or wye used to distribute water at scene

            c. LDH supplied from portable tanks or nurse tanker

            d. Reduces need for extra apparatus at scene when not needed

            e. Provides mobility for moving water during shuttling operations

 

II. SUPPLYING WATER FROM VARIOUS SOURCES (1-2)

  A. The student will perform the following evolutions using as many of the appliances described above

       as possible. There are other evolutions that could be considered depending on local need and

       capability.

      1. Lay a supply line from a hydrant using LDH and hydrant valve, connect the hydrant valve to the

          hydrant, charge the supply line, connect another engine to the hydrant, and have the supply

          engine supply the attack engine through the hydrant valve.

       2. Reverse lay from engine or Siamese to source and set up water supply from a pressurized

           source.

       3. Using the reverse lay, set up water supply from a static source using LDH, to supply a second

           engine at the scene.

       4. Using the split lay, set up water supply from a pressurized source using a single line to supply a

           second engine at the scene.

        5. Set up water supply from a portable tank using multiple engines. The evolution should include

            one engine operating as the attack unit and another engine operating as the supply unit at the

            portable tank. One of the units will be required to set up the portable tank which can be filled