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Stationary Engines Discussion Forum

Early portable fire pumps?

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Matt from CT

03-16-2008 18:36:18




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Hi folks:

I've been doing some research recently on forest fires, particularly in southern New England.

I'm trying to find around when portable, gasoline powered pumps became practical -- I have no clue at this point what names, etc to look for though.

Any guidance in a direction would be much appreciated!

To share some interesting things I've found:
-- In 1910, Connecticut's average size fire was 50 acres and 15,000 acres burned in a typical year (today it's under a 1/4 acre and less then a 1,000).
-- In 1910 the State Fire Warden's Manual still relied heavily on "improvised firefighting devices," recommending things like wet sacks and cedar boughs. The only specialized equipment was a 2.5 gallon soda-acid extinguisher you towns could buy from the state.
-- In 1922 the Smith Indian Back Pump was introduced, and the Council Fire Rake (the ones with the sickle mower teeth) was introduced right about the same time.
-- By 1935 New York State had 84 portable, gasoline powered pumps in service.
-- In the 1930s the CCC was building fire ponds in Connecticut ideal for portable pumps to work from.
-- 1945 saw the introduction of flatfender Power Wagons, which were the first widely adopted 4x4s to aggressively take the water to the fire. It's notable in pictures of many of the foresty trucks I've found in the 20s/30s...they had *huge* hose reels -- many look like 500' to 1000'.

Of course there was many other technical improvements -- fire towers, telephones, radios, airplanes. I'm just trying to piece it all together.

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Kentb of SWMO

03-17-2008 06:50:59




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 Re: Early portable fire pumps? in reply to Matt from CT, 03-16-2008 18:36:18  
You might try contacting Groman-Rupp. The build a line of portable fire pumps. I think you will find the BIG surge came after WWII.

Kent



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Matt from CT

03-17-2008 11:33:34




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 Re: Early portable fire pumps? in reply to Kentb of SWMO, 03-17-2008 06:50:59  
Oh, thanks Kent!

Sometimes I swear I'm premature senile (goes with the premature grey, I guess). That was a name I knew and just wasn't thinking of.

They started up in 1933, and that's kind of my guess around when the technology came together. I can't see the hit-and-miss engines from 20 years earlier being well suited to the mission.

And yep, I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't become common until after WWII, I guess more research to do.

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Kentb of SWMO

03-17-2008 12:13:52




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 Re: Early portable fire pumps? in reply to Matt from CT, 03-17-2008 11:33:34  
Your problem of which I am also afflicked is know by two acronyms; CRS diesese, Can't remember s**t and CRAFT diesese, Can't Remember A FiretrUCKING Thing.

Kent



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