Protecting The Boardwalk in Ocean City New Jersey

The fire service is no stranger to overcoming adversity and challenges.  We have always been great at adapting and overcoming unusual situations with a combination of talent and now with the phenomenal technology we have access to these days.  The Ocean City Fire Department, in New Jersey is no stranger to doing just this.


Shore towns face their share of challenges with fire suppression duties, with limited access for full size apparatus and significant target hazards, particularly on boardwalks.  Modern fire codes have substantially reduced the number of major fires, but there still exists the potential for such an occurrence.  With these unique hazards being known, several east coast fire departments have a special purpose rigs designed to accommodate emergencies along the boardwalks in their response districts.  Ocean City NJ is the focus of this article, other such rigs can be found in Wildwood New Jersey, Rehoboth Beach Delaware and Ocean City Maryland, to name a few.

Ocean City NJ is approximately 10.7 square miles with a resident population of just over 11,000.  The summer vacation season brings an estimated 115,000-130,000 "residents" and visitors.  The city has everything from 1 story bungalows to multi-story high rise buildings and includes a sizable number of 2 and 3 story wood frame vacation homes with very limited spacing in between.  The city is protected by a very adequate public water supply system. The fire department in Ocean City is a fulltime department, and operates out of 3 fire stations in the city, manning 3 engine companies, a truck company and two ambulances, while utilizing off duty "recall" personnel to staff several reserve rigs and other specialty apparatus as necessary.

The City has a stretch of boardwalk that spans about 2 1/2 miles, roughly 10 of those blocks are heavily invested by the usual beach concession shops, restaurants, amusement parks and other tourist venues.  The boardwalk is fairly wide in much of its most populated areas, but narrows down as you get past those sections.  Several fires have struck in the boardwalk area in the past decade or so.  In 1893, a large fire devastated one of the original amusement parks built there, and again in 1927, a larger fire destroyed several blocks in the boardwalk vicinity.  A significant fire also struck at the Playland amusement park in 1961. They are no strangers to these types of fires.

Ocean City NJ 2005 Ford / Pierce Boardwalk Response Rig

The Boardwalk Rig in Ocean City New Jersey is a 2005 Ford Super Duty/Pierce.  It is what I refer to as a manifold wagon, where it has no pump or tank, rather it relies on a sustained water supply from a source pumper at street level.  The rig is designed to bring any of the critical necessary initial suppression and forcible entry equipment from the street, right up to the boardwalk.  The boardwalk rig is housed in fire station 1 at 6th St and West Avenue, which is in close proximity to much of the boardwalk.  It is manned as necessary based on its need.

Some of the highlights of what it carries are;

• 800' 4" Supply Hose
• 200' 2" Attack Line
• 200' 2 1/2" Attack Line
• Elkhart Portable "R.A.M." monitor
• Elkhart 1000 GPM Rig Mounted Prepiped deluge set with portable base for deployment at ground level
• (3) SCBA
• Honda 3500W generator
• (2) Rig mounted telescopic flood lights
• (2) portable flood lights
• Chain Saw
• K-12 Saw
• PPV Fan
• Little Giant ladder
• Tarps
• Hand Tools

Floodlights and hooks can be seen here on the body

Gasoline powered equipment and other "Truck Company" equipment

The hosebed.  Note the LDH intake and gated discharges at bottom left

SCBA, additional lights and "Engine Company" tools on the drivers side

As you can see, this rig is well suited for its designed purpose.  Rigs like this are also valuable assets for locations where long narrow driveways or tight alleys can prevent access by full sized apparatus.

Fire departments must be diligent and identify the needs within their response districts and design apparatus and operating policies to best serve these needs.

Authors Notes;

Special Thank you to the Ocean City Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 27 for providing details and photos of this rig.  ~Mike G.

Visit the OCFD at www.ocfire.org
Visit the OCFMBA Local 27 at www.facebook.com/ocfmba27

You can also check out rigs from;
Wildwood NJ: http://www.wildwoodfirerescue.com/app396photos.php
Reboboth Beach De.: http://www.rehobothbeachfire.com/apparatus.cfm?a=4

Nozzle Ball Valve Shutoffs - Not All Are Equal

In recent months I've come across some different web postings and discussions that address the issue of the difference in handline nozzle shutoff styles and their impact on smooth bore stream performance.  The essential conclusion being conveyed as the information passes down the grapevine is that one brand of nozzles had an inferior ball valve design to other brands, and therefore leads the end users to potentially draw the conclusion to avoid using that brand in favor of others when using smooth bore nozzle tips.  One specific article that is published which discusses this topic provides good photographic representation of the differences of ball valves, but doesn't clearly explain in writing the responsibility of the end user to specify the proper style shutoff when using smooth bore nozzles.  Like much of what we pass along in our trade, I wondered if there was more to the story than I had been able to find in these articles, so I did some research.



The playpipe nozzle has a split/cutaway ball valve.  The middle nozzle has a standard full ball valve.  The stacked tip set is not referred to in this article.

Before I believed the hype, I decided to do the experiment myself with one of the guys at the firehouse.  The results were exactly as the articles had reported, a substantial visual difference in stream quality between a full ball valve shutoff and one with a split/cutaway valve.  It was certainly clear to see, and even without the use of calibrated flow test equipment and there was no doubt that an issue existed.  Originally I has assumed that a difference in brands and styles of smooth bore tips was the culprit, so we tried using a 1 1/4" leader tip (the base tip in a triple stack set) in comparison to a 1 1/4" plain tip.  I assumed the shorter orifice length on the leader tip was responsible for the stream degradation, until I saw the articles online.  The test showed that the results were almost identical, regardless of the tip.  Once I had seen these results I began to wonder; why would the manufacturer sell a nozzle shutoff that provided such a terrible quality stream?  That's what motivated me to look further.

The only manufacturer of record that I know who produces the split ball valve (or cutaway as it is officially referred to) is Elkhart Brass.  Elkhart was very quick to return my request for info, submitted via their online form.  I had a 20 minute or so conversation with a product development specialist who listened to my questions and concerns.  I was surprised to hear they weren't as acutely aware of the misapplication of their products as I expected them to be.  It turns out that Elkhart offers 3 styles of ball valves, each for different purposes, but only one is specifically intended to be used with smooth bore nozzles, and that is the full ball style valve.  The split/cutaway series is intended for use with automatic and fog style nozzles, where the stream is formed at the tip by the baffle and shaper.  It provides a smoother operating and adjustable seat valve that performs better under higher pressures (typically found in fog nozzle applications).  The inherent waterway imperfections with the valve opened are virtually irrelevant for these types of nozzles, but cause havoc with smooth bore tips.  After the conversation concluded, I received a through explanation of the differences in designs and principles of each ball valve style from Elkhart via email.  I was quite satisfied with the time they spent addressing the concern.  They discussed making some changes to their literature and field delivery training courses to clarify the proper application as well.

The "dual cutaway" ball valve-closed



Note that when opened there are two "pockets" at the bottom of the waterway that trap and agitate the water



Note on a different brand of shutoff the waterway shows a smoother path due to the full ball valve



Elkhart does recommend the full round valve for smooth bores, but doesn't specifically warn against use of the cutaway in this application. Courtesy Elkhart Brass

If you are familiar with basic hydraulics, you know that smooth bore streams require a waterway that is smooth and a nozzle tip that is tapered to a nice uniform diameter bore to create the best possible stream.  Any obstruction within the nozzle waterway will create pockets where water will crash around (turbulence) and in the short distance to the nozzle outlet, there is no way to correct this, resulting in a broken stream.  You will also note that bending the hose near the coupling of a smooth bore nozzle will yield similar results, regardless of the style valve used.  The stream is very susceptible to degradation if the ingredients aren't all there (proper nozzle tip match to the hose diameter, proper valve and no kinks near the nozzle).  The economical solution if you use these valves is to attach mini stream shapers, which will drastically improve performance.

The test shows the results - the ball valve in the bottom photos was a "double cutaway" type

In conclusion, the proper application of equipment is truly a balance of your needs and a good salesman who can understand what you seek to accomplish as well as having a mastery of the product line.  In our trade, there are vendors that do not provide a mastery level of the products they market.  This forces the "buyer beware" mentality.  Its easy to discredit a manufacturer for ending up with a product that is inferior or not appropriate for the intended application, however unless you've done your due diligence, it isn't fair to place the burden on them up front.  This article, and its attached research are intended to clear up the misconception that the Elkhart brand nozzle as a whole is not as well suited for use with smooth bore nozzles, as other brands.  As a fireman, who doesn't sell equipment, I attempt to be diligent in being objective.  This was a case where I see two important final points to underscore.  One is to do your homework when buying equipment, and the second is to check your current equipment to see it if it properly matched up.  Interestingly enough, between three firehouses where we have Elkhart Nozzles, every single one is a cutaway style valve, with smooth bore tips.  With their purchase being before my time, I can only suspect that they were purchased without full knowledge of this phenomeon.  It is also pertinent to note that each nozzle had optional fog tips to go along with the smooth bores, with sopme being automatic 100 PSI tips.  I suspect the nozzles were brought as break-apart fogs with spare smooth bore tips.  Check your nozzles, and do your research.  The manufacturers are often very willing to educate and listen, don't hesitate to ask them.  Special thanks to Elkhart Brass who demonstrated exceptional customer service.

Check out Elkharts website for more info, and refer to the 375 series shutoffs for proper application with smooth bore tips.  http://www.elkhartbrass.com/files/aa/downloads/catalog/catalog-f2-01.pdf

Stay safe, train hard, and always be a student.

Featured Apparatus - West Windsor NJ

Overview

• 2007 KME Predator Chassis
• Caterpillar C9 400 HP Diesel Engine
• Allison EVS3000 Automatic 5 Speed Transmission
• Hale Qflo Plus 1250 GPM Single Stage Pump
• Hale Foamlogix 5.0 Injection foam system for AR-AFFF (4 Discharges)
• 30 Gallon integral foam cell
• 500 Gallon "L" water tank
• 10 KW Harrison Hydraulic Generator
• 382" Overall Length
• 187" Wheelbase

The engine was designed for use by a minimal crew of two firefighters.  The rig is set up so that equipment regularly needed can be reached from street level, including all of the attack hose.  While not classified as a rescue engine, there is ample equipment carried to initiate operations at auto extrications, water and ice rescues and industrial/construction incidents.  Of note is that place of crosslays, there is a custom compartment for basket stretcher, backboards and a little giant ladder, enaling the hose tobe deployed from the bumper and rear bed.  The low hosebed sits 61" from street level and is only 8 feet deep, to allow the hose folds to still be shoulder carry capable.
 

Drivers side view

Front Bumper.  The bumper sports alot of stuff.  There are 150' 1 3/4" attack line, 100' 1 3/4" attack line, 225' 1 forestry line,  25' 5" soft sleeve-preconnected and 25' 4" pony length.

The rig has no crosslays, so the hose deploys from the bumper and the rear bed.  The hose bed contains 250' 1 3/4" (with 150' static), 600' 3" with water thief, 400' 2 1/2" static load, 1200' 4" with Humat valve and 400' 1 3/4" preconnect.

The engineers compartment with various adapters and appliances

The pump panel, which has a trough containing a 25' and 50' pony length of 4" hose.  Pump connections on this side are limited, with the intent to try to avoid pressurized hose connections in the operators working area.

A 100' 2 1/2" Preconnected monitor allows for "Blitz Attacks" in addition to the rigs prepiped master stream device.

The prepiped master stream is an Akron Apollo "Hi'Riser" device which is removable.  It was installed so that the stream can sweep 360 degrees at 0 degrees with no obstructions from the apparatus body

The Officers side pump panel with connections, tools and tank level LED indicator.

Side mounted ladder rack with long hangers allows for 3 ladders to be carried.  28', 16', 14'

Adding tools at point of use saves time.  Note hydrant gate valve in the soft sleeve trough.

Officers Side view

DS Over Wheel: Electrical and salvage equipment.  Note extinguishers in tubes, one is water one is class A foam

OS Rear: Holmatro spreader, cutter and ram along with various other rescue equipment

OS Over wheel: Hand tools and Stabilization struts

OS Front, this is where typical firefighting hand tools and extinguishers are kept

Rear: Cribbing and 18" PPV Blower

DS Rear: Saws, standpipe hose and tools, cellar nozzle and class D extinguisher

Cab Transverse with long hand tools, timber cribbing, flares, pickets, etc

Drivers Gear - compartments in place of rear facing jump seats

Officers Side Cab - EMS Gear

Cab Interior: Rope, water and ice rescue gear

Cab transverse access from officers side: hazmat supplies, long tools and cribbing etc

OS Transverse over pump house. 

If you would like any additional information on this rig, please email Mike at mg0178@yahoo.com

Supplying Aerial Master Streams-An Overview

It’s important when supplying aerial master streams to understand the key factors involved, and understand the limitations of the hose and the aerial device you are using.

First, many departments opt to use 4" or 5" Large Diameter Hose (LDH) to handle all of their water supply needs. There are two general categories of this type of hose, supply or standard grade, which has a service pressure of 200 PSI and attack grade or high pressure which has a maximum service pressure of 300 PSI. Some brands may offer higher service pressures too. For the sake of safety, we always say to deduct 10% from the maximum service pressure of the hose. That means that if you are using supply grade, your max pump pressure is 180 PSI, and if you are using attack grade your max pump pressure is 270 PSI.

Aerials have inherently high pressure loss, as the waterway has some sharp bends in it to allow the piping to make its way up the center of the turntable. It’s not uncommon to see four 90 degree elbows. These bends and elbows represent extreme inefficiency, and will require higher pump pressures to overcome them.

Aerials also suffer from the effects of head pressure loss, as the weight of the water in the aerial exerts back pressure downward and requires higher pump pressures to overcome it. Elevation loss is .434 PSI per foot. It’s easier to represent that as .5 PSI per foot. This means that for every 10 feet of elevation you are losing 5 PSI due to head pressure loss.

It is hard to say exactly what the pressure loss in the piping of an aerial is, until you run actual flow tests. It is, however, safe to say that the loss is typically no less than 50 PSI, and in some cases as high as 100 PSI. Remember, pressure loss (due to flow of water) rises almost exponentially as flow increases, so an increase in flow of every 500 GPM doesn’t mean the pressure loss value is an equal value for each flow increase. For example, the pressure loss in 5" hose for 500 GPM is 1.7, for 1000 GPM it is 6.0, for 1500 GPM it is 15 and for 2000 GPM it is 27. So you can see that the difference in pressure loss from 500 GPM to 1000 GPM was only 4.3, but the difference between 1500 GPM and 2000 GPM was 12.

The last issue at hand is the nozzle. Remember, a nozzle represents restriction. The higher the nozzle pressure must be, the more restriction/backpressure and the harder your pump must work to overcome it. Using a smooth bore tip on an aerial monitor will lower your supply pump pressure 20 PSI compared to using a 100 PSI automatic nozzle, because the smooth bore only requires 80 PSI at the tip for its "rated flow". So, for an equal flow the smooth bore requires a lower pump pressure. Don’t forget that all the other restrictions in flow in the aerial and the elevation are still in play though.

What if the aerial has a pump? Whenever possible, supplying an aerial that is equipped with a pump, it is hydraulically sensible to use the pump to boost the incoming pressure so that you can overcome the restrictions in the rig itself. The one instance where this is not desirable is if the aerial rig is a Quint and it is operating handlines at the same time. The volume of water and required pressure flowing for the aerial master stream, coupled with handlines being used can cause the risk of overpressurizing the handlines if the master stream is shut off and the pressure governor or relief valve isn’t capable of managing the extra water surge. It is recommended that if the aerial is operating handlines off its pump, to use a separate supply pumper to feed the aerial directly through its rear inlet.

Let’s look at the factors that come into play again, using the pump discharge formula;

PDP=NP+FL+DL+EL

Where;
- PDP=Pump discharge pressure
- NP= Aerial nozzle TIP pressure – 80 PSI for Smoot Bore, 80 or 100 for Fog, check tip for exact pressure
- FL=Friction/pressure loss in the HOSE
- DL=Device loss, in the aerial piping-unknown exact value unless tested
- EL=Elevation loss - .5 PSI per foot

Using some numbers taken from an actual aerial flow operation I recently participated in, we were able to prove this theory. A 100 foot aerial tower, with a 100 PSI automatic nozzle was only able to flow 900 GPM through two 100 foot lengths of supply grade 5” hose. The supply pumper was operating at 185 PSI. The aerial was only off the ground approximately 25 feet, for most of the operation. We were able to deduct the pressure loss in the aerial piping at around 75 PSI, because the nozzle pressure was 100 PSI and the pressure loss in the hose was about 10 PSI. With a pump pressure of 185, subtracting the nozzle pressure (100) and the pressure loss in the hose (5 PSI per 100ft, for a total of about 10 PSI) the remaining 75 PSI represents pressure loss in the aerial waterway. The waterway on this particular rig is capable of 1500 GPM. The hose limited us to 900 GPM. The investment into better hose or use of multiple 3” lines would allow maximum water flow in this particular evolution.

So what does all this mean? Using standard grade supply hose is not the best choice for supplying an aerial master stream unless you are supplying the rig through its pump, if it is so equipped. 3” or 3 ½” hose is a good option if you still carry it, but the better long term solution is to switch over to attack grade LDH. If your budget is limited, having a few lengths of attack grade supply hose on the aerial rig is a good interim solution. Make sure your apparatus operators know that they need to use this hose when the rig is being supplied through its rear inlet.

The bottom line is that if you want to flow an aerial at its maximum capable flow, you must forecast the approximate required pump pressure ahead of time and have hose that is capable of delivering the required pressure at the inlet, to get the desired flow out the tip. To break it down into simple terms, pump through the shortest required length of hose, and use the highest pressure rated hose possible to supply aerials. If your LDH is supply grade, assure you have an appliance to allow at least three 3” or 3 ½” lines to be used to feed the inlet of the aerial.

If you only carry supply grade 5" Hose, (rated to 200 PSI), consider supplying aerials with no pump using multiple 3" lines so you can provide the proper pressure to the inlet. In this instance, each 3" line is only flowing about 350 GPM, as the tip flow is around 1100. Because this hose is rated to flow at pressures up to 400 PSI, it makes it a no brainer to supply this aerial. Without knowing the pressure loss in this rig, we know that at an elevation of 100 feet, the head pressure loss is 50 PSI, the nozzle pressure is 80 PSI and the pressure loss in the hoselines is 10 PSI. That is a pump pressure of 140 PSI, without factoring in the aerial piping pressure loss, which is often at least 50 PSI. The potential pressure for this aerial to flow 1100 GPM is AT LEAST 190 PSI if it is 100 feet away from the supply pumper using three 3" lines.

This rig has 1100 feet of 5" in each bed, the left bed is supply grade hose the right bed is attack grade hose.

If youy only carry supply grade 5" Hose, (rated to 200 PSI), consider supplying aerials with no pump using multiple 3" lines so you can provide the proper pressure to the inlet. In this instance, each 3" line is only flowing about 350 GPM, as the tip flow is around 1100. Because this hose is rated to flow at pressures up to 400 PSI, it makes it a no brainer to supply this aerial. Without knowing the pressure loss in this rig, we know that at an elevation of 100 feet, the head pressure loss is 50 PSI, the nozzle pressure is 80 PSI and the pressure loss in the hoselines is 10 PSI. That is a pump pressure of 140 PSI, without factoring in the aerial piping pressure loss, which is often at least 50 PSI. The potential pressure for this aerial to flow 1100 GPM is AT LEAST 190 PSI if it is 100 feet away from the supply pumper using three 3" lines.

Because supply grade 5" hose was used to feed this tower, a maximum flow of around only 900 GPM was available, even though the waterway can flow up to 1500 GPM. This was only a 200ft lay. The supply pumper was providing 185 PSI at its discharge. Doing the math, we can deduct that the pressure loss int he hose is about 10 PSI, at the flow of 100 GPM, and the nozzle is 100 PSI at the tip. That means the pressure loss in the aerial is about 75 PSI.

Using 2 100ft lengths of standard supply grade 5" hose, we could not provide more than 900 GPM to this aerial. It has a 1500 GPM waterway and the hose was maxed out at 185 PSI, at low elevation.

This 1250 GPM single stage pumper easily supplied a 1400 GPM tower ladder which is not equipped with a pump.  The tower is equipped with stacked tips and is being fed utilizing attack grade supply hose.  In addition, the rig flows 500 GPM from its wagon pipe, for a total of 1900 GPM

Pump pressures on the panel of the 1250 GPM engine show high loss between the master discharge and the line gauge for the 3" LDH discharge.  Specing larger valves will improve efficiency

The summary of all this is that if all you care about is having water come out the nozzle tip, then carry on as you were, if you want to deliver the aerials capacity, or understand how to achieve that, you must conduct flow tests, then be equipped with the proper hose, nozzle and appliances.

Whats in a Photo?

We know what happened here-but we don't know why, its not our photo.

There are dozens of firefighting web blogs and Facebook pages on the internet, many of them are incredible sources of information, and present diverse and thought provoking topics, photos and questions.  Each sites owner(s) have a style, its what makes them all unique.  This site has a style too, its pretty simple.  Most of our stuff is ours.  We post photos, videos and information that we have personally been involved in.  We like to share photos and videos from other major sites, that might present some interesting perspectives, but the majority of our content comes from our site contributors.

Why does it matter, you may ask?  Take a look at some of the sites out there, the sites that grab one of your photos and ask the world how they would have handled the operation.  How can you moderate the discussion objectively if you cannot speak for the events that took place during that situation which is depicted in the photo?  Its hard to do, everyone should agree on that.  By posting our own photos and videos, its easier to address questions, comments or concerns, when we have access to the people involved, to understand their thought processes in those moments.

the driver of this engine quickly rectified the kinked supply line

So brings the question; is it OK to use other photos and videos as food for a discussion?  I think the answer is a conditional yes.  We have to remember how many variables exist that we cannot fairly identify.  We also need to remember how small of a time window exists when a photo is snapped.  It makes it somewhat of a double edged sword to use any photo as a focal point for discussion, but at the same time, we need to be able to fuel our critical decision making skills and gain insights and feedback from others.

We will always make an effort to post photos tat we can explain and articulate.  In cases where we find a photo or content from other sites that we find interesting and informative, we will share it here and indicate such.  We enjoy the constructive nature of everyone's feedback, its made the site very easy to moderate and administer.  Than you for your continued contributions.

Protect Yourself From Potential Failure of the Devices that are Supposed to Protect You

Large diameter appliances and externally mounted relief valves are found on many rigs.  These devices are critical for safe operation when working with high volume large diameter hose.  An often overlooked issue, is the testing of the relief valves on these appliances.  An improperly adjusted relief valve can lead to a few dangerous issues including but not limited to;

• Burst supply hose due to hose service pressure below the relief valve pressure (Supply grade LDH-200 PSI)
• Failure to open in an overpressure
• Opening at too low of a pressure and dumping critical water, which may be a nuisance, or cause icing.

Some hose testing companies offer appliance testing, but many do not.  For departments that conduct hose testing,  these appliances should be tested along with your hose, at least annually, with the consideration given to more frequently.  Kochek, a large manufacturer, recommends every 6 months.

Here are two links that reinforce the necessity for testing of the appliances;

http://www.state.nj.us/dca/divisions/dfs/reports/hampton_township_ff_Injury_rpt.pdf

http://www.chenangofireems.com/uploads/files/Manifold%20Failure%20Test%20Report.pdf

This is the result of an appliance failure.  Courtesy Lambertville, NJ FD

In both of the previous reports, it was fortunate that there were no fatalities.  Be cautions around these appliances, at all times, not just when testing them.

Testing isn't to be taken lightly.  Any time you are service testing equipment, you should expect it to fail, that is, to take the proper precautions to prevent injury and damage.  Proper head, eye, body and foot protection are a must.  Following appropriate testing standards is another important consideration.

NFPA 1962 recommends testing of appliances to the manufacturers standards.  Kochek happens to offer a guide for doing just such a test.  It can be found here; http://www.kochek.com/docs/PressRelief_Valv_%20TestProc_Web.pdf  Within the 1962 document, there lacks substantial step by step guidance, but rather it has general recommendations.  The document can be viewed at www.nfpa.org

When you raise the throttle, the gauge will "pop" when the relief dump valve on the appliance opens and should not rise above that as the pump pressure continues to rise.

Testing these appliances can be done in house, if you follow the above recommended guidance.  A few points to note are as follows;

• Expect a catastrophic failure of an appliance.  If the appliance has ever been dropped or damaged, and not inspected, it should be removed from service and checked by a qualified professional, to include x-ray inspection of applicable.  Invisible manufacturing flaws may not be evident, use care.
  
• It is a good idea to attach the appliance being tested to a section of hose to move it away from the rig and personnel prior to testing.  CAUTION:  Check the service pressure of the hose you are using, and do not exceed it.  This means that standard supply grade LDH (single jacket rubber type) will not be sufficient for testing over 200 PSI.
  
• Inspect the devices for any obvious corrosion or deficiencies prior to testing.
• ALWAYS consult the manufacturer for their recommended testing and the rating of the appliance being tested.
• Air trapped in appliances represents greater stored energy potential, and if not bled can cause a more catastrophic failure if such were to occur.

Bleed the air from each discharge at idle before pressurizing the valve.  With the pump discharge barely opened, a small stream of water is all that should be exiting when you crack the valves.  Once you close the valves on the appliance, the water pressure inside the appliance will increase slowly as the low volume of water from the discharge comes up to pressure.

The relief dump valve has opened properly here.  Take note that on manifolds such as this, the relief valve only protects the appliance with the valves in the closed position when it is used as a DISCHARGE manifold (Supplied from the single inlet side), not in reverse, being fed by several lines.  Also, note the allen wrench in the relief valve set screw used to adjust through its range.

Test the air bleeder on intake valves.  Bleed the air out at idle before pressurizing the valve.

If you test the appliance connected to the rig, do not connect it to the same side as the operators panel where you will be standing.

Many newer apparatus have intake relief valves which must be periodically tested/adjusted as well.  In this photo, the relief valve is to the right, attached to the bronze port on the butterfly valve body.  The relief dump opening is seen underneath it, as a threaded port facing downward.

Built in intake valves often have their own individual relieve valves.  Hale Master Intake and Waterous Monarch, to name two, will likely have these.  They must be tested according to the manufacturers specifications, which will require water being pumped to the intakes from another rig or a testing pump.  In addition, many pumps will have an additional relief valve attached to the suction/intake side of the pump. which needs to be tested.

Whether you test these valves in house, or have a vendor perform the testing, it is critical to have it done at the manufacturer recommended intervals and to follow their procedures.

Do You REALLY Want Them to Learn Something...?

An instructor or company officer has a duty to the student/firefighter in training to assure that the concept being taught is understood.  How do you accomplish this?  In the world of engine company operations, consider that the use of gauges and flow meters may have a MUCH greater impact on learning than trying to sit in a classroom and crunching numbers on notepads.  Check out some of these photos to see how this concept is applied in training evolutions.

The most important thing you must do before you use the equipment is connect with the students/members; a little tailgate talk assures that everyone is on the same page.

A handheld pitot tube is a must have for engine company training

A properly calibrated portable flowmeter goes a long way proving and disproving hydraulic concepts

Want to teach the principle of elevation loss....take a pitot tube into the air and have the operator raise and lower the ladder to show the change in readings

Aerial inlet gauges compared to a pitot or gauge reading at the tip will help show pressure loss in the piping and elevation loss

Using a handheld Pitot to verify wagon pipe flows

A nozzle test rack is a great tool.  To check flows of combination nozzles, inline gauges at the inlet compared to the pump panel gauge will illustrate pressure loss in the hose.  The proof is in seeing it!

A Flow test tube (Fixed Pitot) is a great way to show the performance/limitations of a relay pumping operation

Make idle time a learning time, attaching a gauge to the hydrant will show the water system pressure at different stages of the operation. 

Foam systems with flowmeters are a valuable teaching tool if they are calibrated and understood.  This test was utilizing the front suction, flowing 1035 GPM.

Don't forget the trusty gauge.  See the differences between the main pump gauge and the line gauge.  50 PSI Vs. 120 PSI.  This shows a 70 PSI loss in the rigs piping,  This is flowing to a rear step discharge.

Properly anchored, unmanned deluge sets are one of the safest ways to provide flows and test them during pump operator training.  This reduces the chances of personal injury that are greater when manned hoselines are used.

A deluge set adapted to receive 2 1/2" or 1 3/4" hose is used to teach handline pump pressures.  This eliminates the need for members to man hoselines and be exposed to the potential for injury.  The operators practice pump pressures for either diameter of hose, not both.  The results are checked with a pitot tube, inline gauge or flowmeter.