Doug Miller

During the past several years, shrinking budgets have forced many fire departments to reconsider how they do business. Every expenditure is viewed under a microscope to make every dollar count and spend limited funds wisely.

Too many departments have had to delay purchasing much-needed apparatus during this time. This can only be put off for so long as aging apparatus may pile up huge repair bills, not be as safe as they should be, or not be the proper tools for the changing mission of your department. If this sounds like your department, then apparatus replacement should be one of the top line items in your budget. But, will you replace an old, worn out pumper with something that has nearly the same layout?

New Apparatus ConsIderations

Consider many factors for the new pumper, including the following:

• The vehicle's mission: What has changed since the previous truck was built 10, 20, or more years ago?
• Cab design: How many firefighters are available to ride the new rig?
• Overall size: Can a smaller unit be just as effective?
• Pump capacity rating: How much water is really available now and in the future?
• Compartment size: How much equipment do we need to take along to cover the various missions?

As needs have changed, apparatus manufacturers have responded with many more options for nearly everything apparatus-related. To get more compartment space to carry all the equipment departments need to take along and to keep the overall size of the rig within reason, some areas in truck design have seen much change. Many new options involve pump location, the pump operator's location, and pump drive options.

Recently the Fire Apparatus Manufacturers' Association (FAMA) Technical Committee's Pump and Plumbing subcommittee embarked on a project to research and report the various pump configurations available today. The results will be published later this year as educational document TC024: FAMA Pump Selection Guide. The report will be available at www.fama.org. The goal is to educate, to an awareness level, those responsible for fire apparatus layout and design-i.e., fire truck specification committees and apparatus sales representatives.

As the investigation has evolved, many configurations have been discovered, all with pros and cons. Since space is limited in this article, I have chosen one topic that seems to come up on all pumping apparatus: pump intake valves.

The question is: What is the best choice for your primary pump intake valve when specifying your next apparatus? Let's compare different types of valves used to control water flow into the main (steamer) connections of your pump.

In general, there are two main types of valves: internal and external. The internal valve is an integral component of the pump intake plumbing. The external valve is mounted outside the pump and pump panel. They both perform the same function-controlling incoming water to the pump through one or more of the pump's primary water intakes. Both valve types must have a means to expel air from the hoseline when first charged. This prevents a slug of air from moving through the pump and hoselines to reach the firefighters at the nozzle. Either valve will also incorporate an automatic pressure relief feature to keep unwanted pressure surges in the supply line from impacting the pump, hoselines, and firefighters.

Pros and Cons

Let's look first at internal (integral) intake valves.

Pros include the following:

• Most can be controlled remotely from the pump operator's po

By Bill Adams

What is revered by traditionalists, belittled by progressives, dismissed by many, and misunderstood by most?

It has been around for 140 years and has seen plenty of fire. It has adapted to changes in the fire service, yet its popularity rises and falls like the tide. It's the booster reel. Although this article is specifically directed at today's booster reels carrying 200 feet of one-inch hard rubber hose, the history of the booster reel will allow a better understanding of it.

This factory delivery photo (before graphics) is of a 1957 C85 Mack destined for the FDNY. The rear-facing booster reel became an FDNY standard for many years. (Photo courtesy of Mack through Harvey Eckart.)

Chemical Hose and Reels

Flexible rubber hose was made possible by vulcanizing, a chemical process patented in 1844 enabling rubber to be formed into specific shapes and sizes. Also in the mid 1800s, Boston, Massachusetts, pharmaceutical professor James Babcock discovered that mixing sulfuric acid and bicarbonate of soda created a gas that could force water through a hose. The ratio of two pounds of soda and one pound of acid to five gallons of water could generate 200 pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure-enough to "boost" the mixture through the line. Early nozzles did not have shutoffs because the original rubber hose could not withstand the pressures generated. According to fire apparatus historian Walt McCall, Babcock chemical engines with ¾-inch noncollapsible rubber hose were introduced in 1873. Storage reels for the rubber hose followed in the 1880s. The Babcock chemical hose thread (CHT) became and still is today the fire service standard for booster hose.

This Akron Brass reel is floor-mounted in the rear compartment of a flat-back-design pumper. A roll-up door is provided above the reel, and a hinged drop-down door serves as a rear step. (Photo courtesy of Akron Brass.)

Chemical hose and chemical reels were also known and advertised as booster hose and booster reels. McCall elaborates that Seagrave was the first manufacturer to introduce chemical reels on motorized apparatus around 1910. He says that in 1913, Ahrens Fox introduced the first water tank and hose reel used exclusively with plain water and an onboard fire pump. The Cincinnati (OH) Fire Department received 10 1913 Model D Ahrens Fox Booster Cars with reels vertically mounted beneath the driver's seat. A photo of a similar reel installation is in the late John F. Sytsma's book The Ahrens-Fox Album. Don't ask for it today-it's out of print. Eric Hannay of Hannay Reels says, "Vertically oriented reels tend to have a lot of problems over time-weight of the hose collapsing on the bottom disc, the misappropriation of radial bearings in that axis, and so on." Despite the differences between chemical and plain water systems, the booster description became synonymous for both as well as for the water tank itself.

This photo shows a reel mounted high in the upper section of the rear step compartment on this Spartan ERV pumper. Room is provided beneath the reel to store loose equipment. (Photo by Allan Smith.) Read more 726 0 Article rating: No rating Posted: May 5, 2014 In the News SMEAL FIRE APPARATUS CO. announced that RedSky Fire Apparatus LLC has been named the authorized sales and service dealer for Smeal® brand fire apparatus for Arizona and Nevada. "Smeal is committed to leading in high-quality fire apparatus, delivery, and customer experience. RedSky's tenure in this region, and their reputation for exceptional customer service and technical knowledge, make them an excellent choice to grow and expand our distribution and service in this region," says Mark Huber, Smeal's president. RedSky has been in the fire and emergency industry since 2010, specializing in emergency vehicle sales, including fire apparatus and ambulances. The company is led by James Featherstone, lifelong firefighter, former volunteer chief, and fire industry professional for more than 20 years. The professionals at RedSky are experienced firefighters. MIDWEST FIRE will offer multiplexing on all future tankers and pumper-tankers. "Every new apparatus we produce will have multiplexing capabilities," says newly promoted Kraig Scholten, vice president. "Our products have long been known for their durability and strength. Multiplexing will continue to add value to our new customers in the future. Although this technology is not new, some of the capabilities are. We will be able to offer more options without a lot of added expense." Mutliplexing allows customers to configure lights and perform diagnostics and has proven to be more durable than other wiring alternatives. Scholten says that multiplexing will add not only a layer of customization but also a greater level of serviceability. Midwest Fire also is integrating a new built-in video data recorder (VDR) that meets the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. STREAMLIGHT®, INC., a provider of flashlights, announced that the company and several of its United States distribution partners recycled nearly 3,500 pounds of rechargeable batteries during the fourth quarter of 2013, with a year-to-date total of more than 10,000 pounds. Streamlight's corporate headquarters in Eagleville, Pennsylvania, recycled just more than 3,000 pounds of nickel cadmium, lithium ion, nickel metal hydride, and small sealed lead acid batteries during the fourth quarter. Participating distributors recycled nearly 500 pounds during the same period. The company and its distributors are partners with Call2Recycle®, the only free rechargeable battery recycling program in North America. The program helps businesses care for the environment through its rechargeable battery collection program. By recycling customers' rechargeable batteries, Streamlight and its participating dealers help prevent the used products from entering the solid waste stream. PULSETECH PRODUCTS CORP. has restructured a cradle-to-grave battery management program (BMP), originally created for military equipment maintenance, to test, recover, and maintain 12-V batteries for commercial fleet managers in both private and public sectors. Initially introduced to the military as the "Battery Manager Maintenance Program," PulseTech technicians had developed a mobilization and training equipment site guidebook that included new battery turn-in procedures, battery worksheets, constant charge maintenance, state of charge, types of equipment utilized, and hard-to-charge batteries. PulseTech management decided to commercialize the program, working with numerous national and regional fleet and equipment maintenance managers to create custom programs that follow a basic six-step outline. As part of the BMP, fleet and equipment managers employ a series of smart tools, including analytical testers, battery recovery chargers, battery stock maintainers, and th Read more 725 0 Article rating: No rating RSS FirstPrevious4647464846494650465146524653465446554656NextLast Theme picker Section Quick Links   Fire Mechanics Documents EVT Discussion Forum Fire Mechanic Photo Gallery Training & Testing 2019 Scholarship Logo Wear Store Upcoming Events Theme picker Sponsors Fire Mechanics Section Board Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Chair Elliot Courage North Whatcom Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Vice Chair Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Vice Chair Mike Smith  Pierce County Fire District #5 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Secretary Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Secretary Greg Bach South Snohomish County Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #1 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #1 Doug Jones South Kitsap Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #2 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #2 Paul Spencer  Fire Fleet Maintenance LLC Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #3 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #3 Jim Morris Mountain View Fire Department Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #4 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #4 Arnie Kuchta Clark County Fire District 6 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #6 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #6 Brett Annear Kitsap County Fire District 18 Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Director #5 Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Director #5 Jay Jacks Camano Island Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating Legislative Representative Posted: Oct 21, 2015 Legislative Representative TBD TBD Read more 3349 0 Article rating: No rating Immediate Past Chair Posted: Oct 20, 2015 Immediate Past Chair Brian Fortner Graham Fire & Rescue Read more 0 0 Article rating: No rating RSS Theme picker 2020 CAR SHOW Terms Of Use | Privacy Statement - Copyright 2024 by Washington Fire Chiefs Home Members About Us News Calendar Resources Documents Sections County Fire Chiefs FRWC WSAFM