Rural Water Supply for Firefighting SOG

• The document is a Standard Operating Guideline (SOG# 420-10) for rural water supply for structural firefighting.
• It was effective as of 7/13/2020, and revised on 2/22/2022.
• Guidelines are to provide a basic framework, recognizing that Company and Chief Officers can make modifications based on the incident.
• The purpose is to provide guidance for water supply operations in rural Palm Beach County, aiming for an uninterrupted water supply.

Rural Water Supply Considerations

• The initial OIC should determine the best way to establish adequate water supply in rural settings.
• Locate static water sources near the fire scene if hydrant water supply is too far.
• Use an engine as the source pumper over brush apparatus when possible, due to pump capacity.
• In areas where access is limited, brush apparatus may be needed to establish a drafting water supply.
• If a brush truck is used as a source, use the largest capacity brush truck available.
• During drought conditions, some static water sources may not be suitable for drafting.

Non-Rated Bridges/Limited Access Areas

• Use discretion when crossing non-rated bridges. The average weight of PBCFR brush trucks is 28,500 lbs. PBCFR rescue trucks generally weigh less than 20,000 lbs.
• Brush trucks or rescue units may be the only apparatus able to cross some homemade or non-rated bridges due to weight restrictions.
• Brush trucks in rural areas typically carry 800 to 1000 feet of 3” hose, 200 feet of 1 ¼” structural attack hose, and two SCBAs for structural firefighting.
• When using brush apparatus as the attack pumper, lay a 3" supply line from the bridge to the fire scene for supply.
• The largest capacity brush truck should be used as the attack pumper when possible.
• A supply engine should be placed on the street side of the bridge.
• Engines and tenders should remain on the street side of the bridge, performing water shuttle to refill the supply engine.
• If a reliable draft site is nearby, set up a relay pumping operation.
• Consider hand laying a second supply line to the attack pumper if needed.

Locating a Static Water Source

• Assistance from the Communication Center or the Fire Operations Officer (FOO) can be requested to locate the nearest water source using the Hydrant Navigation System or satellite imagery.
• The Hydrant Navigation System provides the location and flow information for fire hydrants, dry hydrants, and static water sources.

Structure Fire Response in Rural Areas

• All stations responding to structure fires in rural Palm Beach County should send a brush truck (excluding 600 series) with the engine for:
  • Supplemental water supply
  • Access to structures unreachable by other apparatus
  • Reconnaissance of the fireground in limited-access areas
  • Initial fire attack in limited-access areas
  • Access to static water sources
  • Initiating brush fire attack near working structure fires

Water Supply Officer

• Consider assigning a Water Supply Officer (WSO) to establish and oversee water supply operations.
• The WSO should be an officer well-versed in rural water supply operations and tactics. -Consider assigning a separate radio TAC channel dedicated to water supply operations.
• The WSO should be the only one involved in water supply operations that communicates with the IC.

Other Important Considerations

• Additional tenders should be requested as needed
• Secure a water source and establish relay pumping before using master stream devices or aerial apparatus.
• Apparatus and supply lines should be positioned to avoid blocking roadway access for incoming units during water shuttle operations.
• When estimating hose lays in rural areas, a standard 1.25 acre lot is about 200 feet wide.
• A typical single-family home requires 250-500 GPM for a room and contents fire.
• 2,000 to 10,000 gallons of water are required to extinguish a room and contents fire in a typical single-family home.

Water Supply Operations

• No single solution exists for every fire, tactics depend on the unique incident.
• Continuous water can be supplied for firefighting via:
  • Modified Direct Pumping operations
  • Nurse Tender operations
  • Relay Pumping operations
  • Folding/Dump Tank operations
• Important considerations when deciding on water supply:
  • Required fire flow, and for how long
  • Nearest reliable water source
  • Best delivery method
  • Needed resources to deliver the flow rate
  • Ability to set up a relay for continuous supply
  • Access issues

Modified Direct Pumping Operations

• Common in rural Palm Beach County. Utilizes all on-scene apparatus that carry water to supplement the attack pumper directly.
• Used for short duration fires like room/contents, garage, or shed fires.
• Recommended for first response to confirmed structure fires in rural areas with limited water.
• The attack engine is supplied by more than one unit at a time using multiple supply lines.
• Yields a water supply of 6000 gallons for initial fire attack using water from two engines, two brush trucks, and a single tender.
• The attack engine should lay a supply line inward from the street for long, narrow driveways or limited access areas.
• Tenders should be positioned in a clear area for easier access.
• Transition to relay pumping if the incident is expected to last for an extended time.

Tactics for Modified Direct Pumping Operations

• First Due Engine and Brush Truck:
  • Position the engine for fire attack, initiating operations using the onboard water tank.
  • Position the brush truck within 50' of the attack engine, supplying tank water from the brush truck.
  • The brush truck stages on scene once the water tank is empty.
• Second Due Engine and Brush Truck:
  • Both supply the attack engine from their onboard water tanks to support fire attack operations.
  • When empty, the second due engine refills and shuttles water back to the scene.
  • The second due brush truck stages on scene and leaves.
• First Due Tender: Supplement first and second due units from onboard water tank as needed, then participates in water shuttle operations.
• Second Due Tender: Supplement the first arriving tender as needed and will assist in water shuttle operations.
• Dispatch will automatically assign a second tender when one is required or requested.
• Third Due Engine and Brush Truck: Scout potential draft sites in the area with FOO/Communication Center assistance and establish a draft as the source pumper for water shuttle or relay pumping operations.
• Fourth Due & Later Arriving Engines, Tenders and Brush Trucks: Participate in water shuttle operations from the source to the scene.
• Later arriving units may be used to set up a relay pumping operation, if applicable.

Nurse Tender Operations

• A nurse tender is positioned at the fire scene and supplies water directly to the attack engine, refilled by a water shuttle.
• This is recommended for short duration fires, but not if there is potential for expansion.
• If the tender arrives with first due units, consider nurse tender operations.
• Used for short duration fires room and contents, garage, and shed fires.
• Engines, brush trucks, and other tenders perform a water shuttle to refill the nurse tender's water tank.
• Transition to a relay pumping operation if you anticipate the incident will last for an extended time.

Relay Pumping Operations

• This is preferred when a water source isn't readily near the fire.

• A pumper is placed at a reliable water source, supplying other pumpers within a relay; each relay supplying water to the next apparatus to supply the attack engine.

• Transition to a relay pumping operation as soon as possible.

• Place the pumper with the largest capacity at the water source.

• A 5" supply line should be laid from the water source to the fire scene.

• Lay supply lines off to the side of the road for later arriving units.

• Multiple units may be needed within the relay.

• For long relays, each apparatus lays its entire hose bed and performs as a relay pumper.

• Consider keeping Tender apparatus on scene as a back-up water supply if drafting is the water source.

Folding/Dump Tank Operations

• Indirect water supply through which apparatus dumps water into a portable folding dump tank that supplies the attack engine.
• This is indicated when the water source is too far for relay pumping.
• Each folding/dump tank holds 3000 to 3500 gallons of water.
• Setting up can be time consuming and manpower intensive.
• Needs a large, level, unobstructed area.
• Can block access if improperly placed.
• A supply engine should be positioned at the folding/dump tank to draft and relay water to the attack engine.
• Requires a minimum of two tenders that shuttle water from the source.
• Cannot be used for master streams or aerial apparatus.
• Incidents needing flows above 300 GPM require multiple tanks.

Considerations for Tender Apparatus

• Each tender carries 3000 gallons of water.
• Tender apparatus carry extra foam and SCBA bottles for on-scene replenishment.
• Due to its large size it may be advantageous for the tender to back down a roadway.

Float-A-Pump Operations

• Needed when a draft site is inaccessible.
• Carried on PBCFR Brush Trucks with capacities varying from unit to unit.
• It is recommended that a minimum of two high volume float-a-pumps be used to relay water.
• Position the source pumper as close as possible to the float-a-pumps.
• Float-a-pumps must be monitored at all times to maintain fuel levels and keep strainers free of clogs.