By Andy Soccodato

Achieving a reliable prime quickly and efficiently is paramount to the success of any rural water operation. This is usually accomplished using the onboard mechanical or pneumatic positive displacement priming pump.

These priming pumps, which are required by National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1901, Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, are very effective at establishing a prime from a static source. However, instances may occur where the primer pump fails to operate on a fire scene. These instances can create a very stressful situation for the unprepared pump operator.

“Burp drafting” is an alternative drafting technique that can be used in scenarios where the primer fails to operate. This method can also be used instead of the onboard priming system for a rapid establishment of a draft. We will discuss the operating principles behind this alternative drafting method, steps for performing this technique, and key operational considerations. This method will give the rural pump operator an “ace in the hole” during those challenging drafting scenarios (photo 1).

• Using Multiple Primers to Establish Your Static Water Supply
• Drafting Still a Necessary Element on Firegrounds for Many Departments
• Where’s the Water?
• Maximizing Pump Capacity While Drafting: The Twin Tube Setup

“Burp Drafting” Operating Principles

The name “burp drafting” is used to describe the means in which this technique achieves a prime without the use of a primer. Using this technique, the pump operator is simply “burping” the air within the hard suction hose and intake plumbing out through a discharge outlet. For this technique to work, three critical components must be present and occur:

1. There must be water in the booster tank.
2. There must be an intake valve present on the intake being primed.
3. Water must be circulated through the pump from the booster tank.

The major concept behind this process is the recirculation of water from the booster tank. The laws of physics state that we cannot create or destroy matter. This means that when water traveling through the tank-to-pump line is discharged from the pump through the tank fill line, something has to replace the water that was discharged. When the operator is recirculating water, more water from the booster tank comes to replace the water that was discharged from the pump. Since we know this process occurs every time the pump is engaged, the tank-to-pump valve is opened, and the tank fill valve is opened, we can conclude that an area of negative pressure is present at the eye of the pump’s impeller when water is being discharged.

If the impeller is spun faster while recirculating water, it will increa

The Willows Fire Department announced it has received a $763,000 grant to help replace outdated Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBAs), ActionNewsNews.com reported.

The Assistance to Firefighters Grant, which totaled to be $763,387 to the Willows Fire Department, will allow the fire department to purchase 101 new SCBAs for fire departments in the area. It says the current SCBAs no longer meet the industry’s standards, the report said.

SCBAs allow firefighters to safely breathe in life-threatening scenarios, like smoke-filled homes.

The following fire departments getting the SCBAs are listed below:

• City of Willows will get 14 SCBAs
• Willows Rural Fire Protection District will get 20 SCBAs
• Bayliss Fire Protection District will get 8 SCBAs
• Capay Fire District will get 18 SCBAs
• Glenn Codora Fire District will get 12 SCBAs
• City of Orland will get 29 SCBAs

Miamisburg and Miami Township residents will vote next month on a permanent, 11-mill property tax levy that would increase revenue for the Miami Valley Fire District and make it self-reliant, DaytonDailyNews.com reported.

If approved, the measure would eliminate all existing fire-related tax levies in the city and township and replace them with the new 11 mills, the report said.

Approving the levy could lead the Miami Valley Fire District to reopen Station 51 on Wood Road, which was closed in 2019 to minimize costs in the face of fiscal challenges, the report said. To do so, the fire district would need to hire more personnel.

If the levy is approved, MVFD also would be able to replace aging fire apparatus, including fire engines that are 26 years old and ambulances that are 20 years old. It would also let the fire district replace aging fire gear, the report said.

Monroe County Fire Rescue took delivery of a Mobile Fire Pump Testing and Training unit called a Draft Commander 3000, KeysNews.com reported.

This mobile pump testing unit is one of a kind and will help Monroe County comply with National Fire Protection Association standards, the report said. The unit is stationed at the training facility on Grassy Key to provide hose testing and fire apparatus pump testing and training. The unit uses clean recycled fresh water during pump testing instead of salt water from an open water source that would corrode apparatus pumps.

The Pohakuloa Training Area’s fire response capability will be enhanced through a $2.48 million U.S. Department of Defense grant to the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The grant provides funds for the construction of a new firefighting and conservation warehouse to improve wildfire response and enable maintenance and repair of firefighting vehicles, HawaiiTribune-Herald.com reported.

This grant will address priority threats to military training operations, protect life and property, and conserve Hawaii’s watersheds and rare native plants and wildlife, the report said.

Rapid wildfire response and suppression is critical to minimizing impacts to training and base operations as well as protecting military personnel and families, civilians, their homes and the native ecosystem, according to a PTA press release.

In addition to keeping the installation safe, the PTA Fire Department has an approximately 500 square-mile response radius to support the surrounding Hawaii Island community, the report said. PTA has a long-standing partnership with community fire departments to keep the community safe.

The Department of Defense awarded 19 grants on Sept. 23 totaling approximately $90 million for states and communities to undertake infrastructure enhancements to support military value, installation resiliency, and/or family quality of life that benefits their local installations, according to the press release.