The Social Network & Community JUST for Firefighters
Engine Training
I am starting the process of learning the tankers and engines at my dept. Is there anyone out there that can give me a few pointers or any situations that you may have been a part of that will help me have a better understanding of this equipment. I would like input on things that can go wrong as well as all the good things. I want to be prepared to answer any questions that I may have asked of me to show the guys at my dept that I have done a little research on my own. Thanks in advance
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by T.j. on
-
exactly...you need to learn your trucks and fireground hydraulics, and most of all be prepared for anything. our chief is huge on pump operations. he has a habit of opening and closing intakes, discharges and drains during a training to make sure you know what to do if it happens on a firescene.
-
Permalink Reply by Firegal77 on
-
First question is "Do I have the wheels chocked?" LOL yes there is a story behind that, but i wont tell it now... I agree with what they said, and also, try looking over the different parts and see if you can identify what each part is. see if you can figure out how to manually prime the pump if the primer goes out, or if you can cross the solonoid in the event you cant get the pump to start with the starter. Try and imagine every possible situation and then imagine what would need to happen if it went wrong. Is there a seperate battery for the pump? or is it tied into the main truck batteries? If it's seperate, is there a set of jumpers in case it has lost charge for some reason. Do you know where all the pet cock valves are in the event of freezing weather? All the lines will need to be drained to prevent freezing. Is there a foam unit on the truck? and how will you clear the inductor if it gets clogged? (I use a metal coat hanger) If there is foam, where are all the possible air leaks into the system? as this will cause you to lose prime, or get poor results. Do you know where to check the oil? Do you know where the oil to refill it is located? do you know what all of the gauges indicate? And how do you know what the pressure is if the guage malfunctions? Do you know what the pump sounds like at the different rmps? do you have a porta pump for back up should the main pump fail? and if so, how do you use the porta pump? and what is the maximum draft height on the porta pump? How many lines can the porta pump supply? Do you know where your hose clamps are in the event that you need to change pumps? How long can you pump out of your truck before the tank is empty in the event that you need to start pumping before water supply has been established? What happens if your PTO isnt engaging? Do you know how to shut down the lines without causing water hammer? and Finally, are YOU remebering to drink enough water?? ;) That is a brief list of some of the things that could go wrong, and you should be aware of. Most of these issues will never happen to you, but it is always better to be prepared. I have been surprised a number of times when something obscure happens and you have to improvise real quick like and in a manner that is safe and efficient. Good luck!
-
Permalink Reply by Spanner 122 on
-
There are any number of things that can go wrong, that's for sure. The best advice I was given is that when something does go wrong, stay calm (no matter who is yelling for water or the ladder, etc) and start over. make sure you have accomplished every step along the way, you're in pump gear, you have bled the lines, you activated the PTO switch, whatever the case may be... but instead of trying to trouble shoot, just go through each step until you find it.
Sometimes crap just happens and you have to deal with it. Stay calm and know when to ask for help! Repetition is always the best way to learn, keep doing and it will be second nature! :)
-
Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on
-
What the others have said is great stuff, and I'll see if I can add some more.
Make sure you're completely comfortable driving and operating the apparatus before you get signed off. When the call comes in make sure you know where you are going and how to get there.
If you are driving on the way to a confirmed working fire, slow down a bit to compensate for the adrenaline. If possible, review the steps you'll take when you get on scene: parking brake, transfer into pump gear, chock the wheels, and pay attention to which line(s) are being pulled off.
Above all listen to the officer in charge on the radio for any instructions - where to park, hitting a hydrant, laying in, and so on. Concentrate on what you are doing and finish it before starting something else. There will be a lot of people shouting at you for this and that... unless its the OIC ignore them and do what you need to do.
When you're running the scene pumper, a huge responsibility is to protect the guys on the hoseline. If you are running short on water or the truck is beginning to poop the bed make sure the pipemen inside the structure know that they may have to back out.
You'll make some mistakes now and again, but that's part of the learning process too. I've puttered around for 10 minutes at a scene trying to get water out of a truck, only to have someone come along and calmly tell me I didn't put the pump in gear. Doh!
The more you practice putting the pump in gear, getting prime and charging the attack lines, hooking to a hydrant etc. the better you will feel and your confidence will build. Then, when the call comes in at 3 AM and you're still half asleep these things will happen automatically and you'll know you have it down.
Good luck!
-
Permalink Reply by Terry Lambert on
-
All good responses to your question. 1 thing I might add:
If you are doing tanker ops, allways keep your tank full, and keep an eye on your drafting. Do not suck the portatank dry, and do not lose prime.
-
Permalink Reply by engine27 on
-
remember everything starts with the brake--pump,ladder-thats the number one thing to check if your at the pump panel and chaos starts!!!D.E. is the best job in the fd-goodluck and remember your responsible for every piece of equipment on the apparatus.....
-
Permalink Reply by Mason on
-
are you taking evoc, or just learning the ropes on pumper opps?
does you tanker have a back spill?
honestly tho, for the most part, once you learn one pumper, you can pretty much run them all.
sorry for the little help, but id need a lil more info
-
-
Here are a couple of good points about wanting to be a good pump operater, train, train, train and one very important point just remember , the persons that are on the nozzles, their lives are in your hands as a pump operater, sothats why I stress alot of training.
-
Permalink Reply by David McElroy on
-
Here is my 2 cents worth on being a good pump operator
First of all know your apparatus and be able to run the pump with your eyes closed, learn your district pre-plans and know where your water is comming from (which hydrants in your district have good and bad flow)
Learn Fire Service Hydraulics (friction loss,flows,gpm for each line on your apparatus) one of the things that erks me is listening to radio traffic at working fires and hearing pump operators saying "give me 10 lbs...drop 10 lbs" . You need to know exactly how many gpm's you are flowing and relay that to your supply pump.
There is a great book you can buy from Penwell Books.Com "The Pump Operators Handbook" which will give a knowledge base, then you can apply that knowledge to your Department's needs. Try and find a Certified Pump Operators's course through your state fire academy which will also help you become more efficent.
Most of all like everyone else has said..PRACTICE, PRACTICE,PRACTICE, another thing you can do find someone in your department that is good at hydraulics and a good pump operator and ask them to teach you the tricks of the trade and watch them operate at incidents
Well I've given my 2 cents worth and I hope it helps, Good Luck in your quest !!
Stay Safe.... Make it Safe
Dave
-
Permalink Reply by rage6996 on
-
the biggest thing is training and more training there is alot that can happen and having the know how on how to recover from anyhting that can arise
my best advice talk to whoever in your dept about goin out and just flowin water to get used to doin the job, and takin any pump class u can to help you with the numbers part of it
-
-
Like everyone else has said train, train, train the more you train the better off you'll be. Pumpers are like anything else in this world, they are mechanical objects operated by a person and or computer they can screw up and or break, thats why training is so very important. Remember one thing, "the persons on the hose lines be it inside or outside their lives are in your hands as a pump operator".
-
Permalink Reply by Ken Ramsey on
-
Something to keep in mind is what will your truck still be able to do if it is a front line truck and something like the Tank to Pump valve breaks....just because you can;t get water from the truck itself you can get it from other sources and it will work great. Fast thinking is a must. Plus remember the golden thing, you know what you expected from an engineer when you were on the pipe think about what they expect from you.
© 2024 Created by Firefighter Nation WebChief.
Powered by
