Hartwick FD - Company #1 Hosts 16-hr Rural Pump Operator Course
 
By President Mark Davis
October 8, 2012
 

Chief Robert O'Brien and the folks from the Hartwick FD Company #1 in Hartwick, New York hosted our second, 16-hr Rural Pump Operator Course on October 6th and 7th. The program was well-attended - even with the weather a bit on the chilly and damp side. The students spent about 4 hours of classroom time reviewing the role of the pump operator, nozzles and fire attack, the workings of a centrifugal pump, and the basics of pump operation. The remaining 12 hours were spent outside running through various practical skill activities including drafting; tanker fill and dump site operations; attack pumper, relay pumper, and supply pumper operations; friction loss calculations, and pump component identification.

Instructors for the course were Alan Butsch, Chris Reilly, and Bryan Rojtas. Many thanks to the Hartwick FD Co 1 for making this course come to fruition at their department.
 
Instructor Alan Butsch delivers some classroom instruction on the basics of fire pumps - in preparation for heading outside for practical work.
Instructor Alan Butsch delivers some classroom instruction on the basics of fire pumps - in preparation for heading outside for practical work.
Instructor Chris Reilly reviews the basics of pump panel layouts and operations.
Instructor Chris Reilly reviews the basics of pump panel layouts and operations.
 
Students practice drafting operations using a dry fire hydrant.
Students practice drafting operations using a dry fire hydrant.
Students learned the basics of operating as the dump site pumper at a tanker shuttle operation.
Students learned the basics of operating as the dump site pumper at a tanker shuttle operation.
 
Tanker fill-site operations were another critical skill covered in the course.
Tanker fill-site operations were another critical skill covered in the course.
Drafting was an important part of the program - given that there are limited fire hydrants in the Hartwick area.
Drafting was an important part of the program - given that there are limited fire hydrants in the Hartwick area.
 
Students reviewed master stream operations as part of their classroom and practical work.
Students reviewed master stream operations as part of their classroom and practical work.
The instructors reviewed various ways of drafting - like using the jet siphon feature of a low level strainer to aid in the drafting process.
The instructors reviewed various ways of drafting - like using the jet siphon feature of a low level strainer to aid in the drafting process.
 
A jet dump in use.
A jet dump in use.
Instructor Bryan Rojtas reviews the finer points of pump operation.
Instructor Bryan Rojtas reviews the finer points of pump operation.
 
All students reviewed the importance of pumping the correct nozzle pressures so that the folks on the end of the nozzle can be effective in their fire attack.
All students reviewed the importance of pumping the correct nozzle pressures so that the folks on the end of the nozzle can be effective in their fire attack.
The program also covered the use of foam. An in-line foam eductor is shown here about to be used.
The program also covered the use of foam. An in-line foam eductor is shown here about to be used.