Part 1 (March 2025) discussed common problems encountered on the intake side of the pump and pump/ mechanical issues. Part 2 covers problems experienced on the discharge side of the pump.

Discharge Side Problems

Problem: compromised hose. Attack lines can be compromised for a number of reasons. From “burn through” when contacting hot coals or fire, to a burst hoseline resulting from being dragged across sharp objects, to hose failure from simple wear and tear, a compromised attack line can be a life-threatening condition. This situation usually requires the line to be backed out. Another cause of the attack line’s stream being compromised would be a valve being inadvertently opened such as someone kicking the valve handle open on the other side of a gated wye during an extended stretch operation. The result is the same in any of the above-mentioned scenarios: Water is discharging outside of the attack line before the nozzle, resulting in a loss of water to the nozzle team.

Solution: Getting a call on the radio from an interior crew reporting a loss of water pressure at the nozzle is a call that no driver/ engineer ever wants to receive. Fortunately, this problem can be readily diagnosed at the pump panel in most situations. Knowing is half the battle. Remember, water in any attack package is a closed system until it reaches the nozzle. Should water leave the system before the nozzle, the result is a reduction in available water at the nozzle.

So, what does this look like at the pump panel? Depending on how much water is leaving the system, whether from a burst/ burned-through section of hose or from an open valve (the gated wye example above), the result will be a drop in or fluctuation of pressure noted on the gauge of the discharge in question. Furthermore, when trying to throttle up to increase pressure to the affected line, the needle on the discharge will not respond normally and will start to “bounce” along with a fluctuation in rpm, especially if the pump is in psi mode. In most cases, the gauge will have difficulty raising and maintaining the discharge pressure because of water hemorrhaging outside the attack line prior to the nozzle.

If the line in question has any valves such as wyes, water thieves, etc. in play, those valves should be checked first and promptly closed. If there are no issues with open valves, or if the hoseline is preconnected with no such valves in use, then the most likely cause is that the hose has been compromised somewhere between the pump and the nozzle. This information should be relayed immediately on making the diagnosis. A backup line should be advanced and take over for the compromised line. The affected line should be backed out and replaced with a new section of hose.

Problem: blockages. There are several causes of blockages forming in attack lines. Kinks, debris in the line/nozzle, and delamination are all reasons an attack line can become clogged or blocked. The result is inadequate or no water being discharged from the nozzle. We will briefly examine each of these problems below. But first, we will discuss diagnosing a blockage.

As I noted in the previous section, the attack line is a closed system until water exits the nozzle. If a crew suddenly reports a loss of water pressure or volume with a fully open nozzle, one of two things may be happening. Either water is leaving the system somewhere else, as was discussed in the compromised hose section above, or the water is still in the system but is not making it in sufficient quantity to the nozzle for one of the several reasons discussed in subsequent sections of this article.

The astute driver/engineer can begin to diagnose this problem from the pump panel. If all

Part 1 (March 2025) discussed common problems encountered on the intake side of the pump and pump/ mechanical issues. Part 2 covers problems experienced on the discharge side of the pump.

Discharge Side Problems

Problem: compromised hose. Attack lines can be compromised for a number of reasons. From “burn through” when contacting hot coals or fire, to a burst hoseline resulting from being dragged across sharp objects, to hose failure from simple wear and tear, a compromised attack line can be a life-threatening condition. This situation usually requires the line to be backed out. Another cause of the attack line’s stream being compromised would be a valve being inadvertently opened such as someone kicking the valve handle open on the other side of a gated wye during an extended stretch operation. The result is the same in any of the above-mentioned scenarios: Water is discharging outside of the attack line before the nozzle, resulting in a loss of water to the nozzle team.

Solution: Getting a call on the radio from an interior crew reporting a loss of water pressure at the nozzle is a call that no driver/ engineer ever wants to receive. Fortunately, this problem can be readily diagnosed at the pump panel in most situations. Knowing is half the battle. Remember, water in any attack package is a closed system until it reaches the nozzle. Should water leave the system before the nozzle, the result is a reduction in available water at the nozzle.

So, what does this look like at the pump panel? Depending on how much water is leaving the system, whether from a burst/ burned-through section of hose or from an open valve (the gated wye example above), the result will be a drop in or fluctuation of pressure noted on the gauge of the discharge in question. Furthermore, when trying to throttle up to increase pressure to the affected line, the needle on the discharge will not respond normally and will start to “bounce” along with a fluctuation in rpm, especially if the pump is in psi mode. In most cases, the gauge will have difficulty raising and maintaining the discharge pressure because of water hemorrhaging outside the attack line prior to the nozzle.

If the line in question has any valves such as wyes, water thieves, etc. in play, those valves should be checked first and promptly closed. If there are no issues with open valves, or if the hoseline is preconnected with no such valves in use, then the most likely cause is that the hose has been compromised somewhere between the pump and the nozzle. This information should be relayed immediately on making the diagnosis. A backup line should be advanced and take over for the compromised line. The affected line should be backed out and replaced with a new section of hose.

Problem: blockages. There are several causes of blockages forming in attack lines. Kinks, debris in the line/nozzle, and delamination are all reasons an attack line can become clogged or blocked. The result is inadequate or no water being discharged from the nozzle. We will briefly examine each of these problems below. But first, we will discuss diagnosing a blockage.

As I noted in the previous section, the attack line is a closed system until water exits the nozzle. If a crew suddenly reports a loss of water pressure or volume with a fully open nozzle, one of two things may be happening. Either water is leaving the system somewhere else, as was discussed in the compromised hose section above, or the water is still in the system but is not making it in sufficient quantity to the nozzle for one of the several reasons discussed in subsequent sections of this article.

The astute driver/engineer can begin to diagnose this problem from the pump panel. If all

The Callisburg (TX) Volunteer Fire Department’s brand new Heavy Brush 116 roared into action, making its maiden debut battling its first grass fire, the department said in a Facebook post May 10, 2025.

Callisburg volunteers responded to a controlled burn that got out of control. Brush 113 and Heavy Brush 116 responded with two firefighters each and quickly contained the 3 acres that were on fire. Wet ground conditions complicated the situation as the small brush truck got stuck in a soft spot. The mud was no match for HB116 which continued to fight the fire, then pull B113 out of the mud.

“This powerful truck, acquired through the Texas A&M Forest Service’s Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program, is a game-changer for our department, boosting our ability to protect our community from wildfires and emergencies,” the post said.

“We couldn’t have outfitted this beast without you—our incredible Callisburg community,” the post said. “Your generous donations and unwavering support made it possible to equip Heavy Brush 116 with the tools it needs to keep us safe. Your support truly fuels our mission.”

The post Callisburg (TX) VFD’s New Heavy Brush Truck Makes Debut Battling Grass Fire appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

The Salina (KS) Fire Department placed Engine 1 into service Friday, May 9, 2025, making it the sixth of the seven new fire apparatus ordered back in February 2024, the department said in a Facebook post.

The new pumper is now responding out of Fire House 1 on Elm Street, serving the north side of Salina.

Over the next couple weeks crews will be training and getting familiar with the new engine, the post said. It carries 750 gallons of water, 30 gallons of firefighting foam, ground ladders, and various hoses and tools. It’s also equipped with a battery-powered hydraulic combi tool for vehicle extrication.

“We’re proud to keep improving our fleet to better serve the community. One more to go,” the department said in the post.

Specifications

Chassis	Enforcer™
Body	Pumper
Actual Overall Height	9′ 8″
Engine	Cummins L9
Horsepower	450 hp
Front Suspension	TAK-4® Independent Front Suspension
Rear Suspension	Spring
Electrical System	Command Zone™
Foam System	Husky™ 12
Pump	Waterous Midship
Pump GPM	1500 gpm
Tank	Foam Water
Tank Size	750 gallons

New fire station coming

The department is also getting a new fire station, ksal.com reported. Fire Station 4 will be around 20,000 square feet, which is about triple the size of the current station. The three small bays will be upgraded to five large bays for fire apparatus and ambulances. Initially the new station will be staffed by a crew of five, including a truck and ambulance crew.

Officials broke ground on Station 4 in March. It should take a little over a year to build, and be fully operational by mid-summer 2026, the report said.

The post Salina (KS) FD Adds Pierce Pumper; New Fire Station Coming appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Hema Sivanandam – Bay Area News Group
(TNS)

BRENTWOOD — The Brentwood Planning Commission on Tuesday denied an application to build a new downtown fire station, citing that the building’s architectural design did not resemble others in the area or reflect the city’s agricultural roots.

The commission unanimously rejected a design review application from the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District to construct a new 8,137-square-foot fire station next to Brentwood Veteran’s Memorial Hall on First Street.

Commissioner Jeremy Jones recused himself from the meeting, citing that his employer has a building near the proposed station.

Aaron McAlister, deputy fire chief for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, said the district was “obviously disappointed” with the commission’s decision and will appeal to the Brentwood City Council.

“The city code says that we have 10 days to appeal, so we will be filing our appeal within that period,” McAlister told this news organization.

He said nine firefighters had already been hired for the proposed downtown Fire Station 94 after they graduated from the firefighter’s academy.

“Now we’re in a situation where those firefighters won’t be going to Brentwood for a long period of time; they are going to serve in other communities until we get a fire station,” said McAlister.

During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners cited several concerns in their decision to turn down the widely debated project, including that it did not meet requirements under the Brentwood Municipal Code.

Commissioners felt the building does not create a “well-composed urban design” and does not complement the existing buildings in the downtown area due to the project’s size and brick composition.

They also found the project fell short in meeting the adequate landscaping required under the Downtown Specific Plan.

Planning Commission Vice Chairperson Kristopher Brand said the project needed a conditional use permit, which he felt was “overlooked” as the building has a gym on the ground floor.

Brand pointed out that the fire department’s supplemental fuel tank and generator, which are the core aspects of the infrastructure, would extend the minimum width of the building.

“The generator lands against the wall that opens for the parking lot adjacent to it, so from my perspective, that means it’s outside of that range,” said Brand. “Which means we do have an infrastructure that is absolutely necessary for the function and legal operation of the station on the ground floor that extends beyond that. Therefore, we need some kind of conditional use permit as per the Downtown Specific Plan.”

Fellow Commissioner Anita Roberts said she “will not rubber stamp” the project without the answers she requested on its impact.

“It’s offensive to me, and as far as I’m concerned, until I get the answers that I was looking for, I cannot in good conscience speak on this,” said Roberts. “I could not tell the fire department how much water they should put in the tank. They cannot tell this planning commission what it is that we need to do.”

In March, the Brentwood Planning Commission postponed its decision on the project despite a five-hour deliberation as they instructed city staff to provide details on the impact it would have on traffic, noise, and air quality.

The proposed Fire Station 94 has continuously faced objections from local military veterans and residents, who claim the site has been “historically and legally