Pump Ops Course Flashcards
Legislation
There are numerous pieces of legislation that have an impact on fire and rescue services as they pursue their find fundamental duties. Just some of these include:
Fire and rescue service act 2004
Civil contingencies act 2004
Water act 2003
Practical pump operating
Lincolnshire’s water supplies, particularly hydrants can be limited and have poor pressure. Therefore, it is important to preserve water..
This can be achieved by:
Using hosereels rather than delivery hose.
LPM setting on branch to lowest setting.
Considering tactical priorities
Using MDT and local knowledge
Main 2 types of LFR pumps
Centrifugal Pump - low pressure
Peripheral Pump - high pressure
Positive Displacement Pumps
Which 2 do we have on the fire engine
Stirrup pump
Knapsack pump (water backpack)
Primers
Centrifugal Pumps cannot pump gases, therefore the air in the suction side must be removed and replaced with liquid before they can operate………..this is known as printing.
Types of primers in LFR:
Reciprocating primer - major pumps
Exhaust Gas Ejector Primer - LPO
Jet reaction
What is it
When water is protected from a nozzle, and a reaction equal and opposite to the force required to discharge the jet takes place at the nozzle which recoils in the opposite direction to the flow.
Water hammer what is it?
The sudden turning off of flowing water can lead to damage to fire service equipment or the town main when hydrant valve or tank valve is suddenly closed.
Tank valves to be closed slowly when connected to a hydrant.
Branch operator on a ladder
Never give water to a branch person on a ladder until it is asked for.
Jet reaction can push the operator off a ladder.
The coupling at the bottom of the ladder is not connected until “water in” is given by the branch operator.
No more than 3 bars to start with
Increase water supply gently
Always prioritise the branch operator on the ladder if more than one delivery is in use.
Factors affecting a lift
CREST
Create the flow
Resistance - overcome frictional resistance
Entry loss
Strainers
Temperature
Crest
Create the flow - i.e to give water kinetic energy as it changes from its static state in the open supply to its moving state in the suction hose. .
Resistance - overcome frictional resistance to the flow in the suction hose and couplings.
Entry loss - overcome pressure loss due to turbulence and shock as the water enters the pump impeller. It is known as Entry loss and varies with the design of the pump.
Strainers - overcome pressure loss as the water is forced through the strainer and changes it’s direction of flow after entering.
Temperature - overcome any tendency for the water to vaporise (and so create an opposing vapour pressure) as it nears the impleller. This tendency increases rapidly with temperature. In fact the vapour pressure of water becomes equal to atmospheric pressure at its boiling point so making it totally impossible to lift water at, or near, this temperature.
At normal outdoor water temperature the effect is Small, however.
Theoretical lift
Practical lift
Main pumps - practical lift is 8 Metres .
LPP - practical lift is 6 Metres.
Methods of water delivery
Water shuttle
Water relays
Water carrying or water shuttle is achieved by using a number of water tenders to collect water from the source and deliver it to the tank of a fire vehicle or into a temporary open dam.
Above
Advantages of water carrying
Fewer numbers of fire vehicles are required at the incident.
Few personnel are required
Total time taken to mobilise fire vehicles is usually reduced.
Fewer numbers of water carrying journeys are required.
Fire vehicles are not committed simply to carry water
2 types of water relays
Closed circuit water relay
Open circuit water relay
