Hauling Water - Pennsylvania Style! Our Newest Member of the 1000 GPM Club
By President Mark Davis
September 26, 2024
On Sunday afternoon, September 22nd, about 40 folks from the Lycoming County, Pennsylvania area got together to haul water for 2-hours uninterrupted using 8 tankers and 2 fill sites. The 2-hr drill took place in Montoursville, PA and culminated our 16-hr Rural Water Supply Operations Seminar that was sponsored by the Western Branch Fireman's Association and hosted by the Montoursville FD. The drill started out with the first, five-arriving tankers off-loading their water using a "rural hitch" layout. Old Lycoming Engine/Tanker 14 arrived next and started setting up to transition to dump tank operations while the 6th and 7th tankers supported rural hitch operations. Water flow was started around the 1:30 minute mark at around 400 gpm, quickly went to 500 gpm, was at 1000 gpm by the one-hour mark and then peaked at 1500 gpm near the 90-minute mark. Flow was never interrupted and thus, the group was awarded membership in our 1000 GPM Club! Many thanks to Captain Kyle Bower and the Montoursville FD for outstanding hospitality and logistical support. Instructors for the weekend were Mark Davis and Alan Butsch.
Four dump tanks, two fill sites, and eight tankers were used to support this 1500 gpm operation. (Photo courtesy Luke Zimmerman)