FIRE & RESCUE SERVICES UNDER PRESSURE
TIME TO GO WITH THE FLOW?
This page has a selection of discussion papers for Fire & Rescue Services to consider the use of Flowmeters to produce more effective and efficient outcomes and improve Fire-fighter safety
Fire & Rescue Services Under Pressure - Time To Go With The Flow?
SUMMARY: The fitting of flow meters to delivery and input sides of pumping appliances provides a cost-effective solution to water management on the fireground. Flow meters provide pump operators with reliable, accurate and timely information as to how much water is being delivered/received and what additional capacity is available to supply further jets/pumps. The fitting of Data Loggers …. (read executive summary) or (read full paper)
AUTHOR: Mr John Harding, Fire and Rescue Consultant.(recently retired after 33 years operational service with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service)
DOWNLOAD: Download executive summary or Download full paper
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service - Decision to go with Flow Meters
EXTRACT: The primary driver for this work was the safety of firefighters and to ease the operation of the pump. It was quickly established by the team that there were also some considerable environmental benefits from developing flow into and out of the fire appliances. No one had really considered the amount of water used by fire services, where the supply came from and how we used the water …. (read full recommendation)
AUTHOR: Mr Trevor Tarlton-Weatherall, Group Manager, Head of Equipment Engineering Team, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
DOWNLOAD: Download full recommendation
Pumping With Flow Meters
SUMMARY: This purpose of this document is to give staff an understanding of the reasons for fitting Flow meters to all Nottinghamshire front line appliances and also to explain the advantages from an operational perspective. (read full paper)
AUTHOR: CM Chas Clark, Fleet Trainer, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
DOWNLOAD: Download full paper
Laois County Fire & Rescue Service - Report on the use of flow meters
SUMMARY: Since 2001 Laois County Fire & Rescue Service has been fitting flow meters to all of its pumping appliances. This report discusses both the flow method and the pressure method for delivering water on the fireground. Moreover it recommends that flow meters should be fitted to all delivery outlets. It states that significant health & safety benefits are derived from the use of flow meters, fuel consumption is reduced, there is less wear & tear on the pump, etc. (read full report)
AUTHOR: Mr. Declan Power, Senior Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Laois County Fire & Rescue Service
DOWNLOAD:Download full paper
Nottinghamshire’s new Scanias put focus on firefighter safety.
SUMMARY: When the engineering team at Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service sat down to discuss the design of their newest batch of Scania fire appliances, it was with firefighter safety at the forefront of their minds. In the wake of the tragic loss of two firefighters in a high rise block of flats in Stevenage in 2005, the engineering team embarked on developing a means of monitoring the flow from the pump in order to guarantee sufficient water at the branch, particularly when fighting fires in tower blocks or in other challenging circumstances. It was… (read full article)
PUBLICATION: Article published in Fire Times magazine, October/November 2009 issue
DOWNLOAD: Download full article
Testimonials
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
’We recognised several years ago that we need to put fires out more efficiently and flow meters are helping us to reduce our carbon footprint and put out fires more efficiently. I would strongly recommend every fire service investigates flow meters for the future’.
Dr Jim Marsden from Greater Manchester Fire Service where every front line appliance has flow meters from TSI Flowmeters Ltd in the pump bay.
Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
’TSI have been a major assistance to Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service throughout this development work and we look forward to continuing this excellent relationship in working on future projects and development of flow.’... (read full recommendation)
Mr Trevor Tarlton-Weatherall, Group Manager, Head of Equipment Engineering Team, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service
‘We’ve been very pleased with the results and we have now specified TSI flow meters in all future builds as we are making the absolute best use of the water resources we have. Flow meters are a real move forward in fire-fighter safety’
Bill Brewster, engineering manager with East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service started to use TSI flow meters in 2007 to ensure that water resources were utilised effectively with minimum environmental impact.