Maximizing Hydrant Flow - Chicago-Style
 
By President Mark Davis
January 6, 2013
 

These photos came from Mr Steve Redick - famed Chicago area fire photographer - via Mr. Earl Everhart of VTech Fire Apparatus. The photos do a very nice job of showing pumpers hooking up to fire hydrants in Chicago at a recent 4-alarm fire. During our pump operator training programs - we sometimes get questions about using hard suction hose on pressurized fire hydrants. The answer is generally "no" - hard suction is not designed for that use.

This being said - we also have seen from time to time "city" pumpers hook up to fire hydrants using hard suction hose (Philadelphia comes to mind from years ago.) The general reason this is done is because at a very large fire, the water grid may become challenged in terms of pressure and the hard suction hose is not going to collapse at the intake the way regular LDH supply hose might.

Mr Redick reports that Chicago FD pumpers on 2nd Alarms or greater are required to connect to hydrants using hard suction hose - we suppose this is in anticipation of placing a high demand on the local water main grid.

Any way - enjoy - the pump operators clearly did a nice job here of maximizing flow from the available hydrants.
 
Engine 26 connects to the hydrant using 20-feet of hard suction hose. They are getting started in setting up for some "big water" supply operations.
Engine 26 connects to the hydrant using 20-feet of hard suction hose. They are getting started in setting up for some "big water" supply operations.
Engine 26 is a 2003 Spartan/Crimson 1500 gpm pumper. It is powered by a Detroit Series 60 diesel and has a big Hale pump. Here “26’ is supplying two Tower Ladders, 10 and 54. They also supplied a 1 ¾” hand line for the Thrift Store. Chicago engines on the 2-11 or greater are required to hook up with hard suction. Using a 6” hard suction through the side port feeds water directly into the throat of the pump. Here, 26 also has a 50’ length of 4” off the 2nd hydrant port into the right side suction. The hydrant was fed by a 24” main.
Engine 26 is a 2003 Spartan/Crimson 1500 gpm pumper. It is powered by a Detroit Series 60 diesel and has a big Hale pump. Here “26’ is supplying two Tower Ladders, 10 and 54. They also supplied a 1 ¾” hand line for the Thrift Store. Chicago engines on the 2-11 or greater are required to hook up with hard suction. Using a 6” hard suction through the side port feeds water directly into the throat of the pump. Here, 26 also has a 50’ length of 4” off the 2nd hydrant port into the right side suction. The hydrant was fed by a 24” main.
 
Note the use of the control valve placed on the unused hydrant outlet. They are ready to expand the supply if neded.
Note the use of the control valve placed on the unused hydrant outlet. They are ready to expand the supply if neded.
Another "big water" hook-up in operation.
Another "big water" hook-up in operation.
 
This was some of the fire that they were trying to stop.
This was some of the fire that they were trying to stop.
One of the two towers that Engine 26 was supplying.
One of the two towers that Engine 26 was supplying.