Pump Testing New Super Pumper

Joined
Dec 5, 2020
Messages
8
Pictures from Facebook, courtesy US Fire Pump & Ray Penatzer.

"Completed testing on this #FDNY #Super #Pumper. This super pumper has a 5500 gpm midship mounted #USFirePump #High #Velocity #Pump. The most stringent pump testing is required by the Department and this HVP pump did not fail to deliver the expected performance.
Kudos to our friends at #ferrarafire for manufacturing this Super Pumper."

View attachment 7516View attachment 7517View attachment 7518View attachment 7519

Of course, no unit number; no crew cab
Calling this the Super Pumper is a disgrace and disrespectful to this beauty!Screenshot_20201028-184606.png
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
3,945
Joe Pinto reports in the May/June issue of Fire Apparatus Journal that the Ferrara industrial pumper (the new "Super Pumper") will be assigned as Foam 260 (!!??!!), quartered with Engine 260 in Long Island City. The 2015 Freightliner/Seagrave currently serving as Foam 260 will move to Engine 238 as Foam 238 in Greenpoint, to replace the old 1992 Mack/Saulsbury Foam Tender. Guess the powers that be have decided the ultimate question, "What in the world are we gonna do with this piece of s#*t".
 
Joined
Dec 7, 2018
Messages
3,099
Joe Pinto reports in the May/June issue of Fire Apparatus Journal that the Ferrara industrial pumper (the new "Super Pumper") will be assigned as Foam 260 (!!??!!), quartered with Engine 260 in Long Island City. The 2015 Freightliner/Seagrave currently serving as Foam 260 will move to Engine 238 as Foam 238 in Greenpoint, to replace the old 1992 Mack/Saulsbury Foam Tender. Guess the powers that be have decided the ultimate question, "What in the world are we gonna do with this piece of s#*t".
That’s what I heard but question is will E260 man it? And who will be the back ups.
 

dan

Joined
Feb 7, 2014
Messages
128
The department has known for a while they needed to replace the foam tender. One of the ideas was for all 6 of the new sattelites to be industrial pumpers. to give a more robust foam capability. That was around the time they were introducing the AFFF gold as the replacement foam job wide. But that idea fell by the wayside. There are numerous back up units in the area for special unit transport and this unit will only respond on special calls.
 
Joined
May 10, 2019
Messages
424
I don't understand why the sentiment seems to be that the Ferrara industrial pumper is useless. As mentioned above, I believe that the industial pumper could be used to replace the Satellites in each borough. This would make the Satellites less limited. They could continue to provide large diameter hose, high volume foam capacity, and with 5,000 gpm provide big water more readily at large convwentional fires. Take for example that 5th alarm in Staten Island recently at 60 Davidson Ave. If Satellite 5 had been an industrial pumper it could have drafted from the Arthur Kill and helped overcome the initial water supply problem. An alternative role would have been to provide alot more foam more quickly instead of having the individual foam units arrive piecemeal from their respective locations. Just my two cents.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2013
Messages
1,190
From what I read it will be replacing the Foam Tender and will be placed with Engine 260
 
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
979
I don't understand why the sentiment seems to be that the Ferrara industrial pumper is useless. As mentioned above, I believe that the industial pumper could be used to replace the Satellites in each borough. This would make the Satellites less limited. They could continue to provide large diameter hose, high volume foam capacity, and with 5,000 gpm provide big water more readily at large convwentional fires. Take for example that 5th alarm in Staten Island recently at 60 Davidson Ave. If Satellite 5 had been an industrial pumper it could have drafted from the Arthur Kill and helped overcome the initial water supply problem. An alternative role would have been to provide alot more foam more quickly instead of having the individual foam units arrive piecemeal from their respective locations. Just my two cents.
To quote a line from a famous play (and movie) "I wish rainwater was beer!".

Just look at the history of high pressure/high volume pumping systems in the FDNY - fireboats, high pressure districts (lower Manhattan, downtown Brooklyn, Coney Island), the Superpumper. All are great concepts, but expensive to build, expensive to maintain, and seldom used. In your mind, think back about all the times this philosophy made a difference in the outcome. The most cost effective tactic may be "Get everyone out of the way and let'er burn." (see BLEVE).
It's like buying a cool white tuxedo. Unless you are Xavier Cugat leading the band at the Waldorf-Astoria, you will wear it only once.
 

Bulldog

Bulldog
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
2,285
From a article I got

Well it certainly sounds like they had a reason they specified it, it will be interesting to see if they follow through with their original intent for its use and where they end up stationing it!
 
Joined
May 6, 2010
Messages
15,562
^^^^^^ The Chief who felt the need for it & pushed to get it on order has since Retired before it's delivery & his successor & others do not seem to share his vision of the need for it in the same vein as he did therefore it sits around....i am sure "something" will be done with it at some point.
 
Joined
Jul 29, 2019
Messages
339
If they're not gonna use it they should sell it to Cal Fire. I'm sure they could find a use for it during wildfire season.
 

Bulldog

Bulldog
Joined
Apr 16, 2008
Messages
2,285
If they're not gonna use it they should sell it to Cal Fire. I'm sure they could find a use for it during wildfire season.
That's certainly a place it would not be very usable. Water supply in California is very limited and it would be difficult to find a large enough water supply to supply this beast, especially near a wildfire.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 1, 2007
Messages
3,945
Remember, I'm a buff, not on the job, so consider my opinion with that in mind. That said,
1. The new (or relatively so) foam tankers each have 1500 gallon tanks; or taken together have twice the capacity of the foam tender; and are 12 years newer.
2. Why in the world would you purchase an exceptionally high volume pumper with a 1,000 gallon tank to replace a 3,000 gallon tanker with no pump?
Seems to me that the idea of buying the "super" pumper to replace the foam tender is, to put it mildly, and without meaning to insult anyone, dumber than dirt.
Just shows to go ya how much I know. :rolleyes: :mad::ROFLMAO:(n)
 
Joined
Jun 27, 2017
Messages
979
As I said before, they just need to sell this rig to a CIMA member. I'll bet most of their equipment is designed by Williams Fire and Hazard. Just like this unit.
 
Top