Village dry hydrant

This dry hydrant is located in Attica

Located at the Pfeuti farm on Purintun Rd. the land owner built this small pond and we installed the dry hydrant. A ideal location as it is about 1/2 way between Monticello and Albany.  Departments may also elect to set-up on a bridge over a stream and draft from there. 

Lets move on to "MPO Training" MPO refers to Motor Pump Operator also called Engineer.  Engine pump operation is much more that throwing switches and levers to get water flowing. When in "town" using the hydrant system operation is fairly simple as water is supplied to the pump under pressure, when operating outside the village hydrant system things get more complex and that is why we train using the dry hydrant and other times operating rurally using portable tanks. Pump operations is more demanding due to the lack of incoming water pressure, we are pumping in a vacuum  status and any air leaks makes this operation more demanding.

Also rural operations sometimes require the setting up of additional dump tanks when large volume of water is needed for fire suppression. This puts additional duties on the MPO as he needs to move water between 2 or 3 portable tanks. Speed in both unloading and loading "Tankers" is key in retaining constant water flow at the fire scene. In a large operation a firefighter is assigned to be the "Water Supply Officer" directing incoming tankers on which "Fold-A-Tank" to dump his load.  Good news is tankers that once only held 1500 Gal of water now carry 2,000 Gal of water on a single axle truck and tandem axle trucks carry 3,000 to 3,500 gal of water.   Tanker refill operations may be done in town at a hydrant or rurally at a dry hydrant / fill site or a bridge on the road.

Point of interest here MFD was the first department in Green County to demonstrate to the "ISO" Insurance Services Office the departments ability to maintain a required "fire flow" in a rural area ( outside village hydrant system).  ISO sets the ratings of the department which in turn reflect into the price you pay for fire insurance coverage.

MFD pumper operating at the dry hydrant in town

MPO operator at the controls

Operating the "Master Stream" nozzle they deliver any where from 750 GPM up to 1,500 GPM, gives you a good idea on how far one tanker load of water goes at a fire scene.