We have a setup that works for us but like most departments you always try to find something more efficient and I figured this was a good way to find out what other people use so we can try them out to see if they would work for us or if what we are doing now is the best we can do for now.
What's REALLY funny about these FlotoPump's that most folks don't think about is that they are no different in many ways than a jet ski... Just ask the fire department who received one of these, started it up along a lake shoreline (sans any tether or connected hose) and guess what? the damn thing took off and travelled across the lake, beaching on a sandbar island (still running) in the middle of the lake... Lot's of campers and fellow firefighters got a laugh out of that one.
Around us we have alot of shallow streams and swamp land as well as large dams and tanks. When it comes to swamps and shallow water dig a hole in the mud so that your suction hose is further under the water and more water will flow into the lower point making it easier to draught. When sucking out of flowing water point the end of the suction line into the flow so that water is forced up the line making it easier on the pump to pull the water up. We also tie a rope around the end so that we can hold the line in the right spot if we need to. What sort of equipment do you have? Do you need to prime the line via hand pump or do you have a automatic priming system?
I think these are what some one was describing earlyer.
I have never used them before but i do know of stations sending people back to search dams for 1 that they lost during a fire so they must be pretty good.
Another solution to this Vic is take some coniferous boughs and wrap them around the strainer and secure with electrical tape or duct tape, this will help to take the mud and silt out of it. We do that ALL the time with our forestry pumps and the foot valves (strainers for the suction). We can pump out of about 6-8 inches of water like that. If you're finding that it's still not enough, then have a small canvas pail and stick your strainer in there and fill it with the boughs. That oughta work for you or find something similar!