Cold Weather Operations

[Steamer]

I'm looking for ideas and recommendations for cold weather apparatus operations that anyone may have. Although we haven't had any major problems, I'm always looking for ideas and suggestions. Specifically, I'm looking for ideas regarding on-scene freeze-up prevention, and other such information.

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Steve Gallagher
Chillicothe (Ohio) Fire Department

[Ladder66]

I've got a similar thread posted in the firefighters forum. Since it's the cold weather season, it's always good to think ahead. Several things we do...

Keep salt or sand on the truck, because it's going to get slippery. Keep the pump circulating to prevent freezing.

As an engineer, I keep a pair of "Red Ball" rubber work gloves stashed in my gear - these are only to be used when I'm running the pump. You can't miss me when I wear those bright orange gloves!

On charged hose lines, keep the nozzle cracked open to prevent it from freezing. If your apparatus uses regular chains on the tires, keep several bungy cords handy in the event you loose a couple during regular use.

That's about all for now - it's been a long day. If I can think of anything else, I'll be back to post it

Stay safe!
Mark