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Water Supply Planning
This section gives extensive planning methods and tactics about setting up a Water Supply Program for your own department. It includes staff positions, layout plans, SOP's, ISO factors, and much more. Feel free to use this for educational and training purposes.
References
| RURAL FIREFIGHTING OPERATIONS - LARRY DAVIS - ISFSI |
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WATER SUPPLY HANDBOOK
WILLIAM ECKMAN
FIRE ENGINEERING BOOKS |
| NFPA 1142 (FORMERLY NFPA 1231) |
| WATER SUPPLY MANUAL - MVFD - WWW.MVFD.COM |
Disclaimer
| THE FOLLOWING PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES ARE THOSE WHICH WORKED FOR THE MECHANICSVILLE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT |
| EVERY DEPARTMENT IS DIFFERENT AND MUST MODIFY OR CREATE PROCESSES WHICH WORKS BEST FOR THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT |
Planning VS Maintenance
| MASTER PLANNING: |
| DETERMINE LEVEL OF RISK - NEEDED FIRE FLOW/CRITICAL FLOW RATE |
| EVALUATE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT’S ABILITY TO DELIVER NEEDED FIRE FLOW - ISO EVALUATION |
| MAXIMIZE USE OF EXISTING RESOURCES |
| DEVELOP LONG RANGE PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS |
| PROGRAM MAINTENENCE: |
| CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT IN WATER SUPPLY CAPABILITY |
| ADAPTING TO NEW DEMANDS AND OPPORTUNITIES |
Water Supply Program Maintenance
| > STAFFING |
| DEVELOPING WATER SUPPLY SOURCES |
| DEVELOPING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES |
Staff Positions
| WATER SUPPLY OFFICER |
| MAP OFFICER |
| PREFIRE PLANNING OFFICER |
| TRAINING OFFICER |
Water Supply Officer Duties
| Respond to serious working fires to advise the Incident Commander in reference to water supply matters and/or manage water supply operations |
| Develop new water sources where required |
| Make an annual inspection of designated water sources to evaluate continued reliability and continued access |
| Make updates, as required, of the Water Supply Preplans |
| Evaluate new water sources and add useable sources to the Water Supply Preplan Book |
| Establish and maintain a notice board in the fire station to keep personnel advised of hydrants out of service, back in service, new hydrants and new water sources |
| Develop and/or modify and implement Water Supply SOPs with the approval of the Fire Chief |
| Review all new water supply preplans to ensure their accuracy and adequacy |
| Make an annual inspection of the Water Supply Preplan Books to insure that they are in good condition and up to date |
| Conduct hydrant flow tests as necessary and incorporate data of available fire flows into preplans and the appropriate maps |
| Act as liaison with the ISO during any grading inspections as they apply to water supply |
| Develop the plan to reduce the Department's ISO rating |
| Coordinate with training officer to conduct the inter-company training required |
Water Supply Officer Duties
| Develop or purchase maps of all hydrant areas showing:
Location of hydrant in relation to streets or roads
Location of towers, pumping stations valves, mains, storage tanks, etc.
Fire flow for the areas shown
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| Develop or purchase maps of non hydrant areas showing:
Location of all primary water sources
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| Develop maps of all non-hydrant areas showing how the address numbers run |
| Make necessary updates as areas are built up |
| Develop map books to be placed in the station and on apparatus including Chief's vehicles |
| Update map books as necessary |
| Inspect map books no less than yearly to ensure that they are in good condition and that they are complete |
| Act as a focal point person for membership to provide information on new developments which may require map book updates |
| Act as Chairman of the map book committee and assist the Water Supply Officer in his duties |
Preplanning Officer Duties
| Conduct surveys of the target hazards in the first due area of the department for the purpose of gathering and storing information relevant to fire fighting, needed fire flow and water supply operations |
| Conduct NFPA 1231 surveys of all new target hazards and any target hazards which undergo significant changes which would alter the minimum water supply required for fire fighting |
| Develop a Water Supply Preplan for all new target hazards with the assistance and under the direction of the Water Supply Officer |
| Conduct on site company familiarization visits and in station drills to acquaint all members with the target hazard and the applicable water supply plan |
| Act as Chairman of the preplanning committee and assist the Water Supply Officer in his duties |
| Assist the Water Supply Officer in his annual inspection of the Water Supply Preplan Books to ensure that all the books are up to date and incorporate any necessary revisions or additions |
Training Officer Duties
(Water Supply Related)
| Conduct company practical drills in department water supply procedures |
| Conduct mutual aid company drills at least three times a year |
| Conduct multicompany water supply drills at least annually |
Water Supply Program Maintenance
| > STAFFING |
| > DEVELOPING WATER SUPPLY SOURCES |
| DEVELOPING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES |
| Water Sources |
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Determine Source Characteristics |
| SURVEY FIRST DUE AREA FOR ALL WATER SOURCES |
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LOCATION |
| DETERMINE SOURCE CHARACTERISTICS |
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ACCESSIBILITY |
| SELECT PRIMARY SOURCES |
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DISTANCE IN FEET TO SUITABLE TANKER FILL SITE |
| OBTAIN OWNER PERMISSION |
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RELIABILITY |
| MARK ALL SITES |
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FLOW RATE IF HYDRANT |
| MAP WATER SOURCE (1ST DUE MAP AND SITE MAP) |
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VOLUME IF POND |
| CERTIFY SOURCE (ISO CREDITED SOURCES ONLY) |
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SPEED AND SIZE IF STREAM |
| Survey Form |
Select Primary Sources
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BASE SELECTION ON:
LOCATION - EVERY 2 TO 3 MILES
ACCESSIBILITY - ALL WEATHER
RELIABILITY- ALL SEASON
DISTANCE TO FILL SITE - 1000 GPM FILL RATE
KEEP RECORD OF SECONDARY SOURCES FOR FUTURE USE OR A FIRE ON SITE
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| Owner Permission Form |
Water Source Map |
Large Scale Map |
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| Highway Marker |
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ISO Certifications
| FOR PONDS: BASED ON VOLUME |
| FOR STREAM: BASED ON WATERSHED |
| FOR HYDRANT: BASED ON ISO RATING SCHEDULE |
Water Supply Program Maintenance
| STAFFING |
| DEVELOPING WATER SUPPLY SOURCES |
| > DEVELOPING STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES |
Standard Operating Procedures
| GOAL |
| HAVE A RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY ESTABLISHED BEFORE INITIAL ATTACK ENGINE BOOSTER TANK IS EMPTY |
| HAVE CAPABILITY TO SUSTAIN (AND INCREASE) WATER SUPPLY WITHOUT INTERRUPTION |
| Sample SOP's |
ICS Structure |
Apparatus Assignments |
| COMMAND STRUCTURE |
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FIRST ENGINE LAYS FROM
HARD SURFACE |
| APPARATUS ASSIGNMENTS |
USE CLAPPER SIAMESE ON LAYOUT
LINE |
| INITIAL OPERATIONS |
1ST AND 2ND WATER SUPPLY
APPARATUS PUMP SIAMESE |
| SUSTAINED OPERATIONS |
DRAFT SITE PUMPER ON FIRST
ALARM |
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| Use of Humat as Siamese |
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Layout Line |
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| Quick Connect Couplings |
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Dump Site Kit |
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| Fill Site Hose Load |
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Initial Operations
SET UP FOLDING TANK(S) AS REQUIRED
DRAFT PUMPER PROCEEDS DIRECTLY TO WATER SOURCE
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| Sustained Operations |
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WSO Checklist |
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| CHECKLIST |
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| NUMBER OF TANKERS REQUIRED |
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| OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT |
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| NUMBER OF TANKERS REQUIRED |
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CHART ASSUMTIONS |
| DESIRED FLOW |
ONE WAY TRAVEL DISTANCE |
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Assumed Values: |
| GALLONS PER MINUTE |
1 MILE |
2 MILE |
3 MILE |
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Tank Capacity |
2000 gallons |
| 1000 GPM |
6 |
8 |
10 |
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Dump Preparation Time |
1 minute |
| 900 GPM |
6 |
7 |
9 |
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Dump Rate |
1000 gpm |
| 800 GPM |
5 |
7 |
8 |
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Dump Breakdown Time |
30 seconds |
| 700 GPM |
5 |
6 |
7 |
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Fill Preparation Time |
1 minute |
| 600 GPM |
4 |
5 |
6 |
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Fill Rate |
1000 gpm |
| 500 GPM |
3 |
4 |
5 |
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Fill Breakdown Time |
30 seconds |
| 400 GPM |
3 |
4 |
4 |
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| 300 GPM |
2 |
3 |
3 |
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Travel Time: 0.65 + 1.7 x Distance |
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| 200 GPM |
2 |
2 |
2 |
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| 100 GPM |
1 |
1 |
1 |
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Observation Assessment
| OBSERVATION |
RESOURCE SITUATION |
ACTION |
| TANKERS WAITING AT DUMP SITE |
A. MORE STORAGE CAPACITY NEEDED |
ADD FOLDING TANKS |
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OR |
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B. MORE DUMP ACCESS POINTS NEEDED |
ADD FOLDING OR SET UP PUMP OFF OPERATION |
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OR |
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C. FIREGROUND FLOW RATE LESS THAN SHUTTLE CAPACITY |
ADVISE INCIDENT COMMANDER THAT HE CAN INCREASE FIREGOUND FLOW RATE |
| TANKERS WAITING AT FILL SITE |
NOT ENOUGH FILL POINTS |
SET UP ADDITIONAL FILL SITE OR ADD FILL SITE PUMPER |
| NO TANKERS WAITING AT DUMP OR FILL SITE |
ADDITIONAL SHUTTLE TANKERS NEEDED |
CALL FOR ADDITIONAL TANKERS |
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