The San Francisco (CA) Fire Department was established in 1886 and is rich in tradition and history. From the Great Earthquake and Fire of 1906 to the Loma Prieta Earthquake of 1989, the department has grown to meet the many challenges along the way.
The department covers 49 square miles and services a population of 1.5 million people. Because of its unique place in history and the past occurrences of two major earthquakes, the department has to be concerned with potential water supply issues during large-scale fires or seismic events.
According to Assistant Chief of Support Services Mike Mullin, “Our department had purchased five water tenders over 20 years ago, and it was time to update our apparatus fleet. We needed to supplement the unique water supply system we have in the city and outlying areas.” The department needed to design a unique system that would be able to operate if another earthquake or a major conflagration occurred. “This system would be utilized to operateas an above ground water main system or to apply water directly on a large fire if the domestic water supply is compromised,” says Mullin.
San Francisco’s water supply system is broken down into three unique areas, which is an interesting system for the fire service as well as a big city fire department.
First is a system of underground cisterns that have a total capacity of 11 million gallons of water from which to draft. The cisterns are strategically located throughout the city should there be any damage to the distribution system or fire department high-pressure supply system. The cisterns have no connection to the water department or the high-pressure fire department system.
Second is a low-pressure water supply system. Water for firefighting is supplied to the fire department by the San Francisco Water Department System. This would be the normal water supply, supply to above ground hydrants, storage reservoir, and the tanks of the fire department’s high-pressure water supply system. This system is maintained and tested by the water department. The location of all fire department hydrants as well as the maintenance and development of the entire fire department high-pressure system are the responsibility of the fire department.
Third, the high-pressure water system is a system of mains and 1,889 high-pressure fire hydrants independent of the domestic water supply built solely for firefighting. The system is supplied by fresh water from two elevated tanks and a reservoir. In the event the gravitational fresh water supply fails, at a moment’s notice two pumping stations can begin pumping salt water into the high-pressure system. There are five manifolds in the bay to allow fireboats to augment the system with bay water.
“The design process for these three tenders began in 2020 looking at several manufacturers as a request for proposal was sent out,” says Mullin. In June 2021, Rosenbauer was awarded the contract to build a new concept combination hose tender super pumper.
The department ordered three units, and the specifications stated that thepumpers needed to be able to pump 5,500 gallons per minute (gpm) and be equipment with water-relay capabilities to extend and supplement the aging underground hydrant system, according to Mullin. “The trucks’ specifications also call for specific layout requirements for fire equipment and hose,” Mullin adds. “Rosenbauer partnered with KASE Pumping Systems of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to design the custom pumping solution. KASE is known for its design of carbon fiber submersible pumps and custom designed fluid transfer systems.”
San Fransisco chose to go with Rosenbauer’s N200 pump. Mullin says, “This pump operates quieter than a normal fire apparatus pump but still pumping at three times the normal amount. These tenders’ pumps are rated to pump 5,750 gpm but after testing will probably operate 250 gpm more than the specifications.”
The units are equipped with hydraulic submersible pumps that will be used if necessary to draft from Lake Merced, Spreckels Lake, Blue Heron Lake, or San Francisco Bay. They also carry 6,000 feet of five-inch large-diameter hose (LDH), four 8-foot sections of flex hose, and a top-mounted deluge gun with stacked tips. Mullin says, “It is hoped that all firefighters in the department will be trained to operate these three units that will be special called to any large fire or where the normal water supply is compromised. These units were paid for by a combination state grant and the city budget.
The San Francisco Fire Department had a special need to supply water in the event of an earthquake or a major fire. After investigating what manufacturers met its spec, the department ultimately chose Rosenbauer, which partnered with KASE to supply these three high-volume water tenders along with onboard 5,750- gpm pumps, two submersible pumps, and 6,000 feet of 5-inch LDH.
If you are looking to innovate a new concept for your department, whether it is a large city, suburban, or even a rural area, look at your target hazards not only in your immediate area but in your mutual-aid areas as well. If you need to design something out of the ordinary with an extremely high cost, maybe you could share the cost with your surrounding cities or townships. Preplanning is the key in all instances. With delivery times of three to four years, it pays to plan now for a delivery.
BOB VACCARO has more than 40 years of fire service experience. He is a former chief of the Deer Park (NY) Fire Department. Vaccaro has also worked for the Insurance Services Office, the New York Fire Patrol, and several major commercial insurance companies as a senior loss-control consultant. He is a life member of the IAFC.
