Kent County Chiefs Association

Standard Operating Guidelines &

Standard Operating Procedures

Subject: Rural Water Supply, Dump Tank and Fill

          Site Operations

SOG # 1-1-22

Approved

July 2020

Approved by: President James L. Price, Jr.

Revised

January 2025

I.   Purpose

To establish a standard guideline for Rural Walter Supply Operations, Dump Tank Operations and Fill Site Operations in Kent County

II.  Definition

1. S.O.G. – Standard Operating Guideline

2. S.O.P. – Standard Operating Procedures

3. Rural Water Supply – Areas without fire hydrants.

4. Rural Hitch – Siamese Adapter with Two (2) 5” Storz to One (1) 5” Storz with Clappers

III.  Policy

A.    It shall be the policy of the Volunteer Fire Companies of Kent County, Maryland to conduct rural water supply operations, dump tank operations and fill site operation in accordance with Kent County Chief’s Association S.O.G. 1-1-22.

B.     The Kent County Chiefs Association approach to rural water supply for structural firefighting operations is based on the idea that the rapid establishment of a reliable and expandable water supply is essential to supporting firefighting operations.

IV.  Rural Water Supply Operations

1. The first arriving officer shall determine the course of action to establish water supply to the scene.

a.       First Engine lays a supply line to the scene and the duties as determined by the

   S.O.G. 1-1-20 – Apparatus Pre-Arrival Assignments.

b.      Stacking - First Engine to the Scene, Second Engine lays a supply line to the

   scene and the duties as determined by S.O.G. 1-1-20 – Apparatus Pre-Arrival

   Assignments.

2. The first arriving Tanker shall connect the rural hitch and prepare to supply water to the scene.

3. The Fourth arriving Engine shall prepare to set up for Dump Tank Operations.

4. The Officer from the First Tanker or Fourth Engine shall assume Water Supply Officer Duties unless the Incident Commander advises otherwise.

5. All Tankers arriving after the first Tanker shall prepare to resupply the First Tanker.

6. All other arriving apparatus shall do the duties as determined by S.O.G. 1-1-20 – Apparatus Pre-Arrival Assignments or by the Incident Commander.

V. Dump Tank Operations.

1. When expanding water supplies in the rural environment Dump Tank Operations may become necessary.

2. Dump Tanks shall be set up in a designated location with an engine drafting from the tank.

3. Dump Tank Operation Tools

a.       Multiple Dump Tanks

b.      Hard Suction with High Flow strainer

c.       Water transfer device such as a jet siphon

d.      Ways to unload apparatus not equipped with dump valves, such as discharge

   tubes, hose, etc.

4. The drafting engine then supplies the rural hitch.

5. Effective Dump Tank Operations requires a commitment of personnel and a Water Supply Officer to set up and manage the dump site.

6. All Apparatus supporting the initial water supply operations shall continue to supply the tanker on the rural hitch until the dump site is complete and operational.

7. Once the water supply transitions to dump tank operations the first Tanker shall be filled and stay connected to the rural hitch as a secondary/back-up water supply.

8.  Provision shall be made to be able to expand dump tank operations by using more than one dump tank.  This will allow for even more water off-load capabilities from the apparatus.

VI. Fill Site Operations

1. Fill sites shall be made operational one at a time.  The Fill Site Officer can request that a second fill site be made operational through the Water Supply Officer.

2. Each fill site should be able to fill tankers at a rate of 1,000 GPM.

3. The Engine on the tanker task or an Engine from the second alarm shall be assigned to each fill site location.

4. Fill sites shall be named by their physical location whenever possible.

5. Fill Site Tools and Equipment

a.       400-ft of 3-in hose

b.      LDH hose

c.       LDH manifold with at least 3 – 2 ½-in NST connections

d.      3-in Storz x 2 ½-in NST female and male adapters

e.       4-in Storz x 5-in Storz adapters

f.        4-in or 5-in Storz x 4 ½-in NST female

g.      Spanner Wrenches.

6. The fill site Engine shall set up a standard drafting operation or a standard high flow hydrant operation.

7. The Fill Site Officer shall notify the Water Supply Officer once the fill site is operational.

Betterton Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Renny Grapes

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief John Darling

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Community Volunteer Fire Company of Millington, Inc.

Chief Charles Boyles

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Galena Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Albert (Bert) Piasecki, Jr.

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kennedyville Volunteer Fire Department, Inc.

Chief James L. Price, Jr.

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kent & Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad, Inc.

Chief Jason Lobley

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Rock Hall Volunteer Fire Company, Inc.

Chief Mike Pinder

YES      NO      NOT PRESENT

Kent County Emergency Service Board

Chair Lynn Sutton

Submitted for Emergency Service Board Approval on _February 3rd, 2025

Compliance Date: _March 5th, 2025