The second event for the day was to learn how to run water
pumps and lay hose line. I didn’t feel too out of place here since we run pumps
at the tanker base and I’ve helped lay 3-inch hose line.
Here our crews were divided in half to complete the
exercises. The half I was in were learning about hose while the other half was
learning about pumps. We were given the chance to look over a type 6 engine as
we were being taught about engine capabilities and safety. Once the instructor
was done telling us about the engines he told us he wanted 1000 feet of 1 ½ inch
hose laid with perpendicular 1” hose every 200 feet for coverage. Then he
gestured to a stack of hose and attachments and told us to get to work.
The hoses were in 100 foot lengths, so we gathered what we
could of the 1 ½ inch and began laying them out. Every 200 feet connecting them
with a Y to allow for the perpendicular hose. It wasn’t until almost the end
that we realized we were 100 feet short of our goal. Our option was to try and
use the smaller hose to make the length, but lose the coverage inward. We
didn’t think to ask the engine operator if he had any hose that we could borrow
to make the length. We assumed that all the equipment was stacked in one spot.
Upon realizing this other option, it was called that the line could be rolled
back in.
We began to tear down our hose line, while learning how to
roll the hose and wrap it “Butterfly.” I understood how to roll the hose, you
needed to put the threaded end of the hose to the inside and roll it onto
itself like a fruit roll up. The threads to the inside was to protect the
threads from being damaged during transport and storage. The butterfly roll was
new to me however. Basically, it was using your arms as a holder for the hose
and looping the hose around them in a giant figure eight. Kind of a fun process
to be honest.
It was then our turn to learn how to use the Mark III pump.
Once the instructor was done going over how to set up and start the pump, our
crew had to carry it to the nearby creek and get it set up. We had to attach
the end of the hose to a shovel to put it in the water and get water. The team
set up the pump quickly, I grabbed the hose needed to connect the pump to the
engine only to realize that the two ends I had were both male. I needed an
adapter to make this work. Luckily, there was one in the pump truck. I got that
hose connected and we had successfully set up the pump to the engine.
The last thing we did at this event was to set up sprinklers
to save a residence after joining back up with the other half of the crew. We
walked around the building making observations about where we would need to
focus the water or would have to potentially remove hazards. We also discussed
how to handle a situation where the homeowner didn’t want us to help save his
home.
With a plan formulated we set up the sprinklers with the
best coverage we could manage, then hooked them to the pump waiting for another
successful event. One hose wasn’t connected right and came undone from the
adapter once we put water through it, but otherwise we saved the home.
The day was close to coming to an end, we only had one event
left before the long hike back to camp and dinner.
Only two more posts in this story! I hope you decide to stick with me!
-Katie
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