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Engine Company Disaster Preparedness - Apparatus Fuel Sources
If you needed to get fuel out of below ground storage tanks, do you have the means to do what you see citizens doing above? Make note of the clamps used to stabilize the hand crank pump for removing the fuel. Do you have something like this, just in case? Or maybe you might have a better idea to share?
or... you can blow this off, not even thinking about pre-planning and just whine about it should the event ever actually impact you and your department... is that what you want? I think not!
Failure to prepare is preparing for failure... be prepared...
CBz
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Fireyladd - Retired Chief Sharp on
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BZY! we have a pigtail set up with our local card lock fuel station that we can power up the pumps with our generator in order to get fuel if this happens. secondary is a contractual agreement that they provide us with a truck and trailer with fuel to provide for our emergency vehicles.
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Permalink Reply by FF Nick on
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Primarily we have fuelman cards and as long as the truck stop has fuel and power we're good to go. However, the problem you are presenting is that the option of whipping up to the pump is off the table.
Luckily for us (Coastal MS where the hurricanes roam) we have the county barn down the road with their own fuel pumps backed by a generator in the event such a situation occurs. We actually had to do this after Katrina rolled through for about a week.
We also have a 500 gallon fuel tank for one of the station generators which may be a last ditch effort to keep a rig on the road.
One may also entertain the idea of taking fuel from a secondary apparatus to keep a front line rig on the road. For example we have several water tankers. An empty tank on one to keep an engine on the road seems like a fair bargain if push comes to shove.
I suppose the options could be endless and only limited by your imagination or resources. The best step in the whole process is as you've already pointed out with your closing statement, preparation.
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Good ideas, all, BZ.
There are at least three additional options:
1) Get a fuel contract with a commercial gas station that has generator power.
2) Have your department obtain its own fuel tanker/tender with diesel for the rigs and gasoline for the generators, saws, and staff vehicles. If you do this, a full-time fuel truck is better than robbing from a mobile water supply vehicle - the plumbing is designed to move fuel and it has a powered pump that makes it lots more effecient in fueling apparatus.
3) Use the fuel from a local marina or boat store fuel dock, if you have one.
Most of them have backup generator power to their pumps and long hoses that can reach ashore.
My department has all three options. We also have generators at every station, HQ, Dispatch, and a large, trailer-mounted one.
And yes, Mike, we call the fuel rig "Fuel Tender 1". I didn't get to name it. :-)
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Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on
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Once again, the good old Tender/Tanker nomenclature issue rears it's ugly head...
Glad to see someone in your organization understands ICS vehicle typing! lol
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Just because something is a NIMS term doesn't mean that it makes sense. :-)
I refer you to Al Brunacini's Tanker vs. BADLOW terminology.
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Permalink Reply by Todd on
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Our fueling facilities all have backup generator power, and the county dept of public works has a fuel tanker truck we could utilize. We also have a 500 gallon diesel tank at our station for our generator if push comes to shove.
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Permalink Reply by John Crabbe on
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Once again, the good old Tender/Tanker nomenclature issue rears it's ugly head...
Glad to see someone in your organization understands ICS vehicle typing! lol
Yep, this topic could be argued left and right, up and down. I agree with Ben, just because it is a NIMS term doesn't mean it makes sense. Considering tanker is considered aircraft out west, doesn't mean all those other depts that don't do or haven't been involved in air ops is wrong either. Just saying, it is funny how many depts east of the Rockies would call their "tender" a tanker must conform to the west coast elitists. :-)
As for the topic, the city pumps have generator backup and we also have several tank farms in the area that we shouldn't have to worry about fuel issues for awhile.
Oh yeah, why is this just about an engine company disaster prepardness....do the trucks, rescues, ambulances, etc rate into such considerations? :-)
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