An excellent website for fire departments to follow is GotBigWater.com. Mark Davis and crew show a variety of scenarios from many different areas of the country. As firefighters are always looking for better ways to do things, this website is full of good ideas.
On the website the article "Fill Site Operations #06 - What is Missing in this Picture?", Mr. Davis says "All that was needed was access to the water and the tanker loading station was up and loading in no time. The hardest part was the initial deployment of the suction hose and strainer by the driver. The biggest advantage, of course, is no need for an engine company or staff to draft and run a loading station."
Is it not obvious that simplicity converts to efficiency? The quicker the set-up time, the quicker water can be put on the fire. I have seen several discussions on which is quicker on initial dump: to "nurse" tanker water to the engine or to deploy a drop tank and empty the water.
Because there are many variables, each of the following should be timed:
- How long does it take to connect the "nurse"?
- How long does it take to deploy a drop tank?
- How long does it take to unload water for the "nurse"?
- How long does it take to unload water into the drop tank?
There is one more factor to consider:
- When the "nurse" tanker leaves, how much water is available to the engine?
- When the tanker leaves a drop tank, how much water is available to the engine?
The quicker the tanker return time, the quicker a water flow rate can be sustained.
- How long does it take to deploy needed sections of quick couple hose and strainer by 2 firefighters and hook to hydrant or static water source?
- How close is the nearest useable water source?
- What is the water load time?
- What is the return time?
- How long does it take to set up an engine with 2 firefighters who hook to a hydrant or static water source and a tanker with 2 firefighters who hook to the engine?
- How close is the nearest useable water source?
- What is the water load time?
- What is the return time?
Also ask yourself, what is the cost in terms of equipment and personnel?