One of the equipment checks that I find great value in is the abbreviated pump test. I say abbreviated because it does not take long to perform but verifies many items.
I like to start by pulling the fire apparatus outside of the fire hall and installing the wheel chocks. Next, I make sure there is water in the pump by opening the Tank to Pump valve. Now the pump is ready to be activated (I am not a fan of running a dry pump for any length of time). Once the pump is activated, I verify that all the indicator lights for the pump are functioning. If the pump is not primed, I activate the primer and once pressure is achieved - I open the Tank Fill valve so that the water in the pump can circulate and remain cool. At this stage, a pump could run all day without overheating in the summer or freezing in the winter. Next, I set the governor or the mechanical relief valve (standard levels are 1000 RPM or 90 PSI). I then open and close the Tank Fill valve to exercise the governor and mechanical relief valve. If the governor is set in RPM - the pump pressure will fluctuate and if it is set in PSI - the RPM will fluctuate to maintain the requested PSI. With the mechanical relief valve - the orange light will open and close showing that the relief valve responds and is not seized. Once I am satisfied that everything is functioning well - I return to idle, disengage the pump and drain the pump completely if it is winter time.
Another item that can be verified during this period is all the emergency and scene lights. By doing a quick 360, the majority of the lights on the truck can be verified. The generator can also be started in order to power the 110-volt lights and get some running time.
The entire test may take as little as five (5) minutes but now you know that the chassis starts, the pump runs, the primer functions, the relief valve / governor are good and the lights are OK. This also is a good refresher for an operator who hasn't operated the truck in awhile and gets to do it in a non-pressure environment.
Friday, November 29, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
The Fearless Front Line Part Two
The second part of the Run-Improve-Grow model in Ray Attiyah's book
"The Fearless Front Line" is Improve - Liberating Leaders to do their
Best Work.
The first step is to continue making improvements - to go from individual quick wins into a process of continuous improvement throughout the organization. For this to happen, the leader must change how he or she leads and commit to modeling quick action.
The author compares the RIG model to juggling - improvements throughout the entire business are implemented simultaneously so there is no focus on a single system, all systems are improved at once.
In order to sustain improvements, management systems have to be upgraded to reflect the front line's new role in leading the Run. An interesting point regards the questions that we ask - we should stop asking short sighted questions that can be answered with yes or no. Instead, we should ask more open ended questions that open the door to thoughtful discussion.
Finally, there is an excellent discussion of Reactive Improvements and Proactive Improvements. Most improvements are reactive in that we are solving problems brought on by the lack of reliability in our systems. Once our systems have improved and we have achieved some momentum in continuous improvement, we can pursue proactive improvements. These are necessary for the final part of the model - Grow. Proactive improvements help to develop the internal infrastructure that gives us the flexibility to add new capabilities and capacities.
The first step is to continue making improvements - to go from individual quick wins into a process of continuous improvement throughout the organization. For this to happen, the leader must change how he or she leads and commit to modeling quick action.
The author compares the RIG model to juggling - improvements throughout the entire business are implemented simultaneously so there is no focus on a single system, all systems are improved at once.
In order to sustain improvements, management systems have to be upgraded to reflect the front line's new role in leading the Run. An interesting point regards the questions that we ask - we should stop asking short sighted questions that can be answered with yes or no. Instead, we should ask more open ended questions that open the door to thoughtful discussion.
Finally, there is an excellent discussion of Reactive Improvements and Proactive Improvements. Most improvements are reactive in that we are solving problems brought on by the lack of reliability in our systems. Once our systems have improved and we have achieved some momentum in continuous improvement, we can pursue proactive improvements. These are necessary for the final part of the model - Grow. Proactive improvements help to develop the internal infrastructure that gives us the flexibility to add new capabilities and capacities.
Friday, November 22, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, November 18, 2013
The Fearless Front Line Part One
I've been a member of Soundview Executive Book Summaries for around
three years now - it's a great way to get a feel for a book without
having to read the entire book. I like that the summaries are available
in many formats as well as audio versions - great to listen to while
walking!
Another feature includes four or more webinars each month by an author presenting a session on his or her book. Last week it was Ray Attiyah and The Fearless Front Line. This book presents a system to empower front line employees to allow them to lead in running and improving the company. This allows the leaders to grow the company. This is an area that our company could benefit from.
The presentation was very good, and this evening I went ahead and ordered the book for my kindle. It has excellent reviews and I will enjoy reading it (I also added to my phone's kindle app). On the cover, it says "The key to liberating leaders to improve and grow their business." The book is divided into three sections which comprise the "Run-Improve-Grow" model proposed to empower each person to do their best.
The first section of the book outlines how to empower front line employees to be fearless and to be able to Run the company's core functions without help (interference) from management. If managers are constantly involved in the Run of the business, they do not have time to Improve or Grow the business, and front line employees cannot reach their potential. The goal is develop Fearless Front Line employees and reduce the bureaucracy that builds up over time.
A feature of this book is that it provides some specific instructions on how to implement these changes. One recommendation concerns daily huddles - as we currently have daily meetings with the front line staff, I can see areas to improve already! Once I've read through the Improve and Grow sections, I'll write more.
Another feature includes four or more webinars each month by an author presenting a session on his or her book. Last week it was Ray Attiyah and The Fearless Front Line. This book presents a system to empower front line employees to allow them to lead in running and improving the company. This allows the leaders to grow the company. This is an area that our company could benefit from.
The presentation was very good, and this evening I went ahead and ordered the book for my kindle. It has excellent reviews and I will enjoy reading it (I also added to my phone's kindle app). On the cover, it says "The key to liberating leaders to improve and grow their business." The book is divided into three sections which comprise the "Run-Improve-Grow" model proposed to empower each person to do their best.
The first section of the book outlines how to empower front line employees to be fearless and to be able to Run the company's core functions without help (interference) from management. If managers are constantly involved in the Run of the business, they do not have time to Improve or Grow the business, and front line employees cannot reach their potential. The goal is develop Fearless Front Line employees and reduce the bureaucracy that builds up over time.
A feature of this book is that it provides some specific instructions on how to implement these changes. One recommendation concerns daily huddles - as we currently have daily meetings with the front line staff, I can see areas to improve already! Once I've read through the Improve and Grow sections, I'll write more.
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