What Is The One Thing You Would Like To Change On The Engine

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Permalink Reply by Larry Lasich on September 20, 2008 at 5:05pm

So much stuff to talk about!
Nozzles. My paid department has a trash line on the front bumper and two 1.75 at 125gpm. Class A foam on the cross lay. 125 gpm fog nozzles for all.
The engine that I ride at my volunteer department has a front bumper with 3 pre-connects; 100 feet of 1.75, 200 feet of 1.75 and 200 feet of 2.50. The cross lays are 200 feet of 1.75, one with a smooth bore and one with a fog nozzle. Class A Foam or CAFS.
If the crew leader or IC thinks that we need a smoothbore, we pull one out and put it on. The engine pressure calc is straight forward. A fog nozzle with 125 gpm is a perfectly acceptable car fire, room and contents, house trailer deal, line. Need more water? Deploy more or bigger lines. If you don’t know that you need them, you shouldn’t be there. It’s not rocket science. Using foam=less water, using CAFS=MUCH less water. Refer to Phoenix FD tests of identical room and contents fires using water, Class A foam and CAFS. Putting 500 gallons of smooth bore in a house that needs 50 gallons of piercing nozzle is bad customer service.
A long stretch from either engine means pulling the 3 inch off the back and dedicating it or putting on a gated Y and 1.75 inch lines. We keep 4 sections of 1.75 rolled with the couplings together (Donut roll) with straps that we bring to the front of the lay if we need more line based on the PRE-PLAN.
Fog nozzles can be used on trash lines. They can also be used at LPG/LNG fires. In fact, I’ve never seen a house implode because a smooth bore wasn’t deployed. Lower surface area of fog droplets means faster conversion to steam (heat absorption), CAFS means VERY high heat absorption, covered furniture and carpets stop producing flashover food, etc. resulting in very fast knock down with very little water damage. Easy salvage, overhaul and as always, happy (or anyway, not unhappy) customers. Again, refer to Phoenix FD tests.

Training for driver/operators is a must and anyone can be lulled into a false sense of security by the flow control and pressure regulators that are available. Realistic training is a must. Running a pump with LDH from a hydrant that has 60 lbs of residual pressure teaches nothing. Improving a draft site, running a large shuttle supply operation and knowing how to supplying several apparatus with fluctuating needs is what pump operation is all about.

Good discussion. Lots of good stuff here.

Permalink Reply by Billy lewis on October 11, 2008 at 12:20am

I like what I am reading here. Since I dont plan on getting any taller, in fact I think I may be getting shorter, I would love to see the hose beds lower. Until then I will just continue to adapt to the fire service, and not except the fire service to adapt to me. I also agree with Hankins...hi Eric...why not build your engine with your district in mind. Athough your engines may not all be the same, with all the same equipment in all the same compartments, isnt that why we check out our equipment everyday.

Permalink Reply by Kristofer DeMauro on October 11, 2008 at 7:48am

Adapting to the fire service, I like that line. Engine design and layout is usually dictated by "cost" not "function." A trend that I like, and will push for on our next egnine is a 2 1/2 inch valved line directly into the tank, maybe even a LDH fill valve. This bypasses the pump and the small tank fill line.

Permalink Reply by Ray McCormack on October 11, 2008 at 8:18pm

Bill I think the fire service should adapt to YOU and the rest of us who see the problems with many of the current designs. The primary function of a pumper is supression, not ems, and all the other events that we respond to. Pumpers design should be well thought out, represent the needs of the community and contain the features that best suit the stretching of handlines and supply lines.
Kris speaks of cost - yes pumpers are very expensive and for many departments bells and whistles and gold leaf are the concern. No community should allow their pumper to be designed by cost and not function.
Ask for what you want built and look until you find it. Spend your money wisely.

Permalink Reply by Daryl Liggins on October 12, 2008 at 1:44am

Ray, I would lower the hose bed of our engines. They are getting higher and higher. Almost like hose is secondary. You should not have to step up on a tailboard to get to the supply or attack hose.

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Permalink Reply by Kristofer DeMauro on October 13, 2008 at 11:07am

Good point Ray, Many of todays pumpers look like a rock concert on six wheels. Keeping it simple is such a good plan. Ideas such as having the wheels painted instead of alloys or simulators. Painted buumpers over chrome. My biggest issue is the multiplex wiring. If you have an electrical failure you are limited to the manufacturer for parts, and hope that it is no longer obsolete. I was impressed by a pumper at FDIC this last spring that was still using "hard wired" technology. If you blow a relay or switch, go to the local parts store and buy one, then you are back in service.

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