Filling Tankers efficiently

During a water shuttle operation, filling tankers as efficiently as possible is a must. Any savings in time can make a critical difference on scene.

ULC and NFPA require Tankers to have a direct tank fill on the rear of the body that can accept 880 USGPM. This can be achieved by using a 4" Gated valve, a 4" Fireman Friend (which is a one-way check valve) or dual 2.5" gated valves.  These options will offer the easiest way to fill your tanker with the least amount of restrictions.

Some departments will fill through the pump so they will be restricted by the size of the tank fill valve which can be as small as 2". In the wintertime, filling through the pump could lead to freezing issues and require draining the pump between each load costing valuable time.


If a tanker has a 2.5" direct tank fill and the fill site is using 4" hi vol or vice versa, you should have an adaptor to convert from one size to the next. This will allow various Tankers to use the water fill site. Adaptors may sacrifice flow therefore a dual 2.5" wye to 4" may be another beneficial piece of gear in your arsenal. If there is only a single 2.5" direct tank fill available, you may want to consider using a second 2.5" line and filling through the pump at the same time depending on the weather.

Please note that most tanks have a pressure and flow maximums allowed in order to protect the tank and the internal baffles. The flow should also be reduced as the tank reaches close to full. A rear water level gauge is a nice option in this situation.