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We got county water about 10 years ago, and over the course of a few years, everybody got spoiled on hydrants. I now make the guys go out to our local spots and pull a draft at least 4-5 times a year. There isn't hydrant here that will go more than 1100 gpm, if it hits the fan, that ain't enough.

All of our A.O.'s know how to draft. Most of our FF's know how to draft. We have hydrants in about half of our county. Drafting is a necessity.

Several years ago, I went to work for a paid department just south of my county. Most of the A.O.'s there didn't know me. So when I started working on shift they were showing me around and introducing me to the idea of "actually pumping the water during the fire". Most of them shuddered when i asked them about drafting and where the water sources were. Funny how having hydrants makes people forget about things like that.

Good point MOFire, our city dept cant draft because they don't have the equipment.  We have a vacuum operated tanker/pumper and drafting is ALOT more interesting! LOL  3500 gal. in just under 3 min, both ways.  Only a few of us can even drive it, much less operate it effectively.  I have a Class A so I made it a point to know the truck.(10 wheeler) I love it.

I was one of the Firefighters sent to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina!  Thought I might clear up a few points...The water was heavily contaminated with petroleum not necessarily a good fire suppression agent, not to mention it also had a number of chemicals and corrosives mixed in too.  The New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) was engaged in Rescue Operations for nearly three weeks after the city flooded.  Fire Suppression was only conducted in areas of the city where access could be made.  Early on it was the high ground surrounding the French Quarter.  As the water was pumped out and the debris cleared from the streets Fire Suppression was expanded.  The Federal Government deployed Tanker/Tenders from the Forestry Service to New Orleans following Katrina.  One of my tasks was to train the New York (City and State) Firefighters, Chicago Firefighters, Northern Illinois Firefighters, and the FEMA Firefighters in Tanker/Tender Operations.

MOFire makes a great point  Most Metro Fire Departments aren't equipped to handle drafting operations.

Unlike the New Orleans Police department, 100% of the NOFD reported for duty and were actively engaged in the Rescue efforts. Over 85 % of the NOFD lost their homes and they were still on the job!  The NOFD has a proud heritage of service...the NOFD and the FDNY were the 1st Rescue Teams deployed to the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995.  In 2001 NOFD was one of the first Rescue Teams deployed to Ground Zero in support of the FDNY. 

Most of New Orleans was under between 10 to 15 feet of water.  It actually floated the houses off the foundations.  As we drove threw 2 to 3 feet of water the wake from our vehicles would move some of the homes around, while others bobbed up and down.

here is MY oppinion !! If you have no primer you cant DRAFT !  So I have been in a rual fire dept . all my career , and have used a hydrant or 2 ,but if comes down to drafting , then you have no choise .  some ppl never was trained to draft , but all drivers need to be no matter where they live . I had to be trained by a state trainer and I taught myself , on a 1965 seagraves 1250 midship 6 inch hard, 500 gal pumper, It was tough but I did it . so any one can do it . Drafting is easy all you need is a droptank / portatank, what ever you call it , and just keep doing it till u have it right .When ur out 5 miles and have no hydrant ,guess what hopefully the chief has called for tankers .Black_fire Im not upset I just speak very loud . LOL. keep peace all and mostly be safe .

I am not upset, I posted just to be clear.  Right on all accounts. You have to be equiped to draft, to draft. 

An additional note: Hydrants.  We have both and train on both. The county is about is about 30% covered with a water system.

JC- Technique may be a little different but the end result is the same.  We have made a one off custom dump tube from 5 inch PVC pipe.  It hangs over the drop tank and is supplied by up to three 3 inch hose.  It is very effective when the fire is away from the road and a close water shuttle is not feasable.  Also, training on the vacuum tanker is a whole other style, but again, the end result is the same.

yankee1 says ...

here is MY oppinion !! If you have no primer you cant DRAFT !  So I have been in a rual fire dept . all my career , and have used a hydrant or 2 ,but if comes down to drafting , then you have no choise .  some ppl never was trained to draft , but all drivers need to be no matter where they live . I had to be trained by a state trainer and I taught myself , on a 1965 seagraves 1250 midship 6 inch hard, 500 gal pumper, It was tough but I did it . so any one can do it . Drafting is easy all you need is a droptank / portatank, what ever you call it , and just keep doing it till u have it right .When ur out 5 miles and have no hydrant ,guess what hopefully the chief has called for tankers .Black_fire Im not upset I just speak very loud . LOL. keep peace all and mostly be safe .

You do not have to have a primer to draft if you know what your doing. All you hae to have is hard suction, a pump and a booster tankful of water. Its called "the venturi effect". When you flow off your tank and then switch to your hard suction. DO duh DO!

And like mentioned earlier some dept in citys dont have any bodys of water for miles so it wouldnt be fesable to draft.

Our vacuum tanker has electric valves. Just a thought.

Drafting without a primer is a good point, we have 1000 gal engines and all are equiped with a deck gun, thats the easiest way to pull the draft for me, when the primer decides to crap out.

Well the trucks that we have at my career dept. that have electric valves are E-one with hale pumps, and you can still do it with them pretty easy. I dont know about any other type of pump.

a rotary gear

its simple at least on our tucks i dont know what kind of trucks yall are on though so it mat be different. You have to start flowing a litle water and slowly oen your intake while slowly shutting off ou tank to pump. Its not that hard, you just have to multi-task and be coordinated.Im suprissed i can do it, im not to good at either one of those.!! LOL

i believe it just depends on the area, why would a diver in the middle of new york city, or chicago need to draft. they have hydrants like every block. Where as there is probably one district that dont have any real hydrants for miles so all they have is drafting.



leatherhead_1987 says ...

Well the trucks that we have at my career dept. that have electric valves are E-one with hale pumps, and you can still do it with them pretty easy. I dont know about any other type of pump.

sir  thats a primer then because its automatic into the tank by a force if i am correct.

chase1 says ...

We can easily do the conversion on our engine too. We do regular drills and training on how to switch from pump to drafting, and back to pump again, all in a smooth manner without losing pressure or upsetting the guy on the nozzle. It's a matter of making a smooth transfer between opening and closing the valves. One has a slider level, and the other is a crank. It is kind of like driving a standard. You make one action recoop the motion of the other. While you are closing one valve, you are equally opening the other to maintain the same pressure. Venturi vacuum is what feeds the prime and you just slowly convert it to drafting. It's kind of hard to explain, but it works well and is fairly easy. We have a few hydrants, but mostly tanker shuttles into drop tanks, and a LARGE lake to draft from.

This is eactly what im talking about. Exactly.

We mostly draft in our area also.  We have a couple hydrants but the NRD says"we're not supost to use them" granted in a fire all water is far game. We pratcie drafting several time a year.  actually we just did this two weeks ago.  Back to the basics but it is good practice.  I like to joke with my cheff that I don't need this I plan on being at the end of the hose waiting for them to get a prime or what not.  Needless to say that makes me the target.  When it was my turn they keep pulling the suction line out of the water so I would have to get reprimed.  All in fun and games but it helps a person know how to react when someone dumps into the tank a little too close to the inlet and you get air in.