June 2nd 2008
By: Asst. Chief Ziegler
On Monday, June 2nd, 2008 Officers and members of five
neighboring Company's were invited to the Modena Fire
Company to attend a training and demonstration for a new
drafting product called the "Turbo Draft." Drafting is
required by firefighters to obtain water from a rural
source when fire hydrants are not available. Often time
water is drafted from local ponds, streams, quarries,
reservoirs, and even swimming pools. In the Western part
of Chester County where hydrants are limited, drafting
and tanker shuttle operations are a vital part of
firefighting.
The Turbo Draft device is used at a water source to pump
water at a high rate of flow into an engine and out to a
suppression unit. Modena and Parkesburg engines were
chosen to utilize the demo units. The initial Modena
site was a tough pull for the unit, so the second unit
was moved to the Parkesburg site close to the Modena
bridge and the two of these units proved to move a large
quantity of water. These units could prove very useful
in areas where longer suction tube lays would prove too
much for a pump to pull a draft and support a fire scene
with needed water.
Special Thanks to Modena Fire Company for inviting us
down to participate in this drill and Demo.
