SUPER PUMPER 1

Captain784 said:
The "New" Super Pumper" takes too long to be placed in operation. More training is needed to make a smoother, faster deployment possible. I worked in the "Old" Super Pumper System, as a Fireman, from time to time in the 1970s it was not easy to get into operation, but this is worse. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
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Well someone who wanted the dam thing is retired… more then likely we will never see it in operation, it needs one of the big marine units to get fully pressure but if the big marine unit can get close enough there is no use for the super pumper….
 
Captain784 said:
The "New" Super Pumper" takes too long to be placed in operation. More training is needed to make a smoother, faster deployment possible. I worked in the "Old" Super Pumper System, as a Fireman, from time to time in the 1970s it was not easy to get into operation, but this is worse. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
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Why do you say that? It's set up, exactly the same an engine company is acceptance larger capacity. The only possible issue would be finding a large enough water supply for it.
 
So why not just beef up the satellite units? 1 per boro plus Sat 6, each with a 3-5k gpm pump and all their existing LDH, foam and manifolds? Seems to me at least they would see more use (in theory) than a major event rig like the current Super Pumper
 
FFM1938 said:
So why not just beef up the satellite units? 1 per boro plus Sat 6, each with a 3-5k gpm pump and all their existing LDH, foam and manifolds? Seems to me at least they would see more use (in theory) than a major event rig like the current Super Pumper
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indeed dont get why the new Satellites didnt get pumps to supply the SP1
 
Bulldog said:
Why do you say that? It's set up, exactly the same an engine company is acceptance larger capacity. The only possible issue would be finding a large enough water supply for it.
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You stated the problem yourself. Few hydrants and water mains, supply/ed enough water for the Old or New Super Pumper. The rated capacity is what can be supplied by drafting. Drafting done by, earther the old or new Super Pumper, is a long is a very time-consuming process. From what I see the process of drafting with the New Super Pumper is even long that what was required for the old Super Pumper. How many water mains can supply 5,000 gallons per minute? One way around this is to have regular pumpers on different water mains, all relay water to the Super Pumper. The other way around is to use a fireboat to relay water to the Super Pumper. At one time there was an idea to give all the Satellite units 5,000 GPM pumps. I do not know why that was not done. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
 
Captain784 said:
You stated the problem yourself. Few hydrants and water mains, supply/ed enough water for the Old or New Super Pumper. The rated capacity is what can be supplied by drafting. Drafting done by, earther the old or new Super Pumper, is a long is a very time-consuming process. From what I see the process of drafting with the New Super Pumper is even long that what was required for the old Super Pumper. How many water mains can supply 5,000 gallons per minute? One way around this is to have regular pumpers on different water mains, all relay water to the Super Pumper. The other way around is to use a fireboat to relay water to the Super Pumper. At one time there was an idea to give all the Satellite units 5,000 GPM pumps. I do not know why that was not done. Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired.
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Maybe setting of drafting operations takes a while for FDNY because they do not have the experience. If you go to many of the rural fire departments they can set up drafting operations almost as quick as hydrant operations because they do it so often. The only problem with drafting in NYC might be accessibility of drafting locations.
 
JA290 said:
$$.
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To change a pump from 1 gpm to a different gpm doesn't cost that much if anything when building. When we speced our new engines I was talking to our sales rep. In most cases, the pump housing itself is the same between given gpms. But it goes in blocks. I forget the exact numbers off hand but from say 1000 gpm pumps to 1500, the housing is the same but the impellers are different sizes. Then from 1750 to 2000 same thing, different impellers. The housings themselves are basically the same, but the other difference is the intakes, so they can get the required flows. And most of the time, those are just bolted on.
When you look at how FDNY was setup back in the 90s for example, there were 6 2000 gpm engines assigned to the sat units, and the rest were 1000 gpm units. So having the standard engine 2000 gpms and the sat engs 3000 or what ever, wouldn't be that big of a stretch for FDNY. They would be basically mini super pumpers because now your in the industrial range which is what the current SP1 is based on.
 
All good ideas, but the brother that took issue with the FDNYs ability to draft water, does not realize the problems of drafting water in N.Y.C.
"NONE of the rivers or even the Salt water around NYC is CLEAN" the other problem involved in drafting water in NYC is access to drafting sites.
Yes, we have a lot of water around NYC! But a lot of the shore front is made up of parks, docks, piers, and industrial areas, which make access for drafting difficult. Yes, in my time in the FDNY I have seen drafting done at fires, but it was a last resort. The water is so polluted in many areas that it can create real problems. If a fireboat supplies an Engine company, the Super Pumper or a Satellite Engine or anytime FDNY drafts a full purging of the pumps with clean water is required. FDNY members in Engine Company Chauffers' School, ARE taught how to draft just in case.
Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
 
The salt water drafting caused a lot of body rot to the original SPS rigs. Before the 1975 $$ woes, the job was trying to decide what they were going to do to replace the three original Satellites.
 
CVILLE7111 said:
The salt water drafting caused a lot of body rot to the original SPS rigs. Before the 1975 $$ woes, the job was trying to decide what they were going to do to replace the three original Satellites.
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I have a video of the SP being fed by a fire boat fighting the Gardner warehouse fire. As impressive as it was, I found r help but to think what a beating it was taking being fed all that filthy water
 
I can figure salt water drafting had to cause alot of problems. Besides the salt water vs metal issues the hoses and other components had to be pretty damaged after doing that for awhile. Then add pollution of all kinds it had to be a real headache.
 
jtsjc1 said:
I can figure salt water drafting had to cause alot of problems. Besides the salt water vs metal issues the hoses and other components had to be pretty damaged after doing that for awhile. Then add pollution of all kinds it had to be a real headache.
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I've had to.draft several times here in Fl, and was lucky enough to learn from one of the Counties instructors at fires. Using the barrel strainer, as an example, of its close enough to the bottom of the canal, river etc, could potentially suck up mud or sand or both which is worse then the water itself. It would be like sandblasting the impeller and open discharge gate(s) for how ever long the unit(s) operated. Today's composite materials in a lot of the hardware in the pump system make life easier and more forgiving with salt or dirty water but dried salt will still play havoc in a pump system. He'll even city water will mess with the valves and pumps.
 
Lebby said:
"The city of San Francisco submitted an initial order of three custom Rosenbauer hose tenders and a 3,000 GPM hydraulicly driven submersible pump."

www.firehouse.com

Rosenbauer Announces Multi-Year Contract with City of San Francisco

The contract for high-volume hose tenders was awarded to Rosenbauer with the support of local dealer, Burton’s Fire, Inc.
www.firehouse.com www.firehouse.com
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According to the new issue of FAJ Rosenbauer has delivered one hose tender to San Francisco with a 5750 GPM pump as well as the submersible pump. It will be housed at Station 18 once training is completed. The article only mentions one of these units.
 
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With all these major fires in Brooklyn and today in Queens, what are the saving the "Super Pumper" FOR ? I worked from time to time in the old Mack Super Pumper System and a Satellite responded, as is done now, on every 2nd Alarm. But the old Mack Super Pumper and Tender and 2 additional Satellites responded on the 3rd alarm. Why have these units if you don't use them major fires?FDNY super-pumper_drawings.jpgFDNY Sat. 3 Origional Mack (2).jpgFDNY Sat. Use Your Stang.jpgFDNY Origional Configeration super pumper.jpgFDNY Sattelite 2 Manifold @ Manh. 5-5.jpg Captain Bob Rainey FDNY Engine 26 retired
 
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