Relay Pumping Operations - More from the Eastern Shore
By President Mark Davis
November 5, 2020
On Sunday, November 1st, forty-plus folks from Talbot County and surrounding areas spent the day reviewing their relay pumping skills at the St Michaels Fire Department. The morning started off with a classroom session reviewing the use of LDH, the key points of relay pumping operations, and the best practices of drafting. The afternoon was spent pumping water through a few thousand feet of 4 and 5-inch hose using five pumpers. The operation started with just a source pumper and an attack pumper and then additional pumpers were added into the mix one by one using different control valves. Folks got to see a Humat valve used as a relay valve, a TFT Oasis valve used as a relay valve, and a regular 5-way LDH valve used in relay pumping operations. Flow peaked at about 1300 gpm during the event: the limiting factor was the fire hydrant used as the supply point. Many thanks to the St Michaels FD for the excellent logistical support and awesome food! Many thanks also to Chris Thomas for sharing his photos.