Fire Engines Photos

Fire Engine Photos

No: 21404   Contributor: Pat Rivers-Bowerman   Year: 2010   Manufacturer: Other   Country: Canada

Side Mount Pump Controls 2

Canadian Winter 2009 - the Pump Operator; further to picture 21301. At the fish-pond, between filling Tankers, that are shuttling water to the fire-scene: he is keeping his water flowing to avoid freeze-up, and you can see it discharging from the short hose, safely back into the pond.

Spray it anywhere else; it will freeze and turn the landscape into a "skating rink" - people will be falling down, and complaining mightily.....

Sub-zero temperatures and a cold wind - for once, the heavy bunker gear is really appreciated, for keeping heat IN. The coat has the long tail, with his name in retro-reflective letters on it - a common custom in most Full-Time Fire Departments; amongst Volunteer FD's; varies as to budget and other reasons.

All the Discharge and Intake Valves; and other plumbing have individual Drain Valves, to prevent freeze-up, when not pumping.

The big Hard Suction Hose is a clear, "see-through", plastic construction - great idea, for trying to get a suction, the Primer is howling away, and you want to see wot-in-hell your water is doing - 'Ooops, Drain Valve open on other side of truck, and no Suction Vacuum, "#$%&#" !!'

The big rubber hammer, so essential to Fire Operations, is partly visible on the shelf, behind his shoulder; tasks such as beating frozen couplings apart, tightening leaking Suction connections, getting "Open Door" Alarm to behave(actually saw that on a City Full-Time Rescue Truck) and other jobs, that need "Fine Tuning" and a sensitive touch.....