How do you train an engineer? Minimize water usage? Focus on safe pump operations and use all the functions of the apparatus?

Training the engineer usually ends up as nozzleman training, or a wild nozzle because a strap broke on a line that was thought to be secure. A line can be charged when someone is not ready for water.

Usually focus is on the safety of the firefighter on the charged line, The training is interupted, focus is on safety and usually thousands of gallons of water are used. Training is sometimes restricted by limited water supply.

Teach drafting, use of all functions of the apparatus and focus on the new engineer? It's one thing to teach theory it's another to give enough time for the new engineer to pump some real water. I would like to pump clean water, not running the risk of pumping sand, trash or rocks from a lake or pond. We would like to pump two 1-3/4" lines and at least one 2-1/2" line safely, have time for the new engineer to check friction loss, feather valves, set relief valves, check engine functions (eng. temp,oil press, voltage and listen to the pump) flowing at least 1/2 the rated GPM of the pump . We would like to focus on the new engineer not the safety of at least seven nozzleman to handle those lines. I guess we could purchase an $80,000 trailer, then a $35,000 truck to pull it and find some place to store it?

A few rocks from the lake (1/4" in dia. and smaller or sand ) can cause thousands of DOLLARS in pump and valve repairs.