Patrol pumpers are sort of like wildland sprinkler systems. Having small, agile pumpers available to quickly respond to wildland fires will often allow one or two firefighters to extinguish or control a fire long before other resources can reach the scene.

The U.S. Forest Service uses patrol pumpers to protect wildland areas across the country. This unit has an engine-driven pump, 300-gallon water tank and Class A foam system. It was delivered to the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan.

As the name suggests, patrol pumpers are best used as part of routine patrols of large wildland areas during fire season. Fire personnel can check campgrounds in the morning to ensure all fires are properly extinguished and can drive along back roads to spot any sign of fire activity that might otherwise go unnoticed. Routine patrols can also be used to check on the condition of fire access roads and water storage facilities along the way. (See “ No Water? No Problem” in the May 2008 issue of FIRE CHIEF for a discussion of water storage equipment and facilities in rural areas.)

Even when staffing limitations don’t allow routine patrols, having a small pumper available to handle wildland fires with a minimum crew will speed response and free up larger apparatus for normal municipal-type incidents. It will also allow crews to reach areas where larger rigs cannot go.

As a rule, patrol pumpers are designed to be small and simple. They are built on light-duty commercial truck chassis with low-profile bodies and a minimum of firefighting equipment. Single patrol pumpers are typically operated with a crew of one or two personnel and are used for the rapid detection and attack of small wildland fires. Several patrol pumpers can also be used to attack the perimeter of larger fires in light fuels and relatively open terrain, such as are commonly encountered with grass and grain fires in level fields or on slightly rolling hills.

The theme of small and simple carries over into the basic specifications for these units:

Pumps. The main pumps may be pto- or engine-driven to allow pump-and-roll operation. Typical flowrates are 10 to 50 gpm at 150-psi pressure, although higher flowrates are sometimes specified to handle fires in small rural outbuildings. Engine-driven pumps are typically mounted at the rear of the body to allow simplified access to the controls and hose connections. If the pumper has to refill its tanks from ponds, streams or other static water sources, it also may carry a small engine-driven portable pump for that purpose.

Tanks. Tanks are low-profile, rectangular configurations and are usually made of a non-metallic material, such as fiberglass or polypropylene, for corrosion resistance. Typical capacities are 50 to 300 gallons and are roughly matched to the pump flowrate in the ratio of 5-gallon tank capacity for every 1 gpm of rated pump flowrate. Slip-on or skid-mount pump and tank units are sometimes used.

Hose. Rigid-wall booster hose or small-diameter, lay-flat fabric hose on power-rewind reels are often the only hose carried. If the situation requires making long hoselays for stationary attacks, some patrol pumpers also carry several hundred feet of fabric forestry hose in rolls or hose packs. A short length of soft suction hose allows tank refills from hydrants, when available.

Equipment. Basic wildland hand tools such as shovels and pulaskis, plus some nozzles, fittings and hose wrenches are all that’s needed. Bolt cutters are handy for breaching fences and locked gates. Personal protective gear and a first aid kit should be carried in the cab.

Lights. A single warning light bar, sometimes mounted behind the cab on a roll bar, plus minimum front, rear and side warning lights are usually sufficient to meet the NFPA standard. Area lights mounted on each side and at the rear help provide a safe working environment at night. A single driver-controlled spotlight can help locate signposts or spot overhead hazards.

As with any apparatus, knowing when to use them is as important as how to use them. Patrol pumpers are designed for rapid attack on fires in light fuels. They can also be used for controlled burns and mop-up operations. They do not have the pump flowrate, tank capacity, equipment or required staffing to handle fires in heavy fuels or make direct attacks on structures.