FURTHER FIRE TESTS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 114, 18 May 1942, Page 4

FURTHER FIRE TESTS

WATER PUMPED FROM RIVER HOSE AND PIPE LINE USED Using 2500 feet of new hose and four trailer pumps, lhe Emergency Fire Service carried out further, tests on Saturday afternoon. A land Ime of 1700 feet, was run out from the Town Wharf to a point near Harman's Garage in Victoria Avenue and thousands of gallons of water were pumped from the river. The Works and Services Unit of the E.P.S. cooperated bv laving a temporary pipe line through which the river water was pumped by the E.F.S. The test was part of the general scheme for providing as much tire protection as possible for the high risk area. It has frequently been stressed that in an emergency the brigade might be compelled to concentrate on major outbreaks in lhe business portion of the city. The question of adequate watersupplies is a problem associated with the proteclion of the city. In the event of the mains being damaged water would have to be pumped from the river, or from sumps. So far. one emergency reservoir has been established in ’Maria Place, and the Technical College baths are also available. The E.F.S. paraded under Divisional Officer W. V. Tremewan and the tests were carried out under the supervision of Superintendent N. M. R.oss. Mr. W’. J. Frethey, acting-city engineer and Controller of the Works and Services Unit, supervised the laying of the pipe line. This line consisted of 6in. and 4in. steel spiral pipes with flexible rubber joints, supported by wooden chocks. It. was extended for 1700 feet. A trailer pump at the river end fed the pipe with water at a higii pressure, a further trailer pump at the other end acting as a booster for the delivery streams. The fire hose was laid parallel to the steel pipes and it was the first occasion on which the Works and Services Unit and the E.F.S. had cooperated in such a test, though a similar pipe line was established in Heads Road during the full-scale E.P.S. rehearsal on April 18. The combined flow from lhe pipe and hose enabled the firemen to use four deliveries near Harman's Garage. Feeder and delivery lines necessitated the use of 800 feet of hose. Water was pumped from the river al. a pressure of 1501bs. to the square inch, but the pressure dropped to 501bs. by the time the water passed through' the full length of hose. The booster, however, had the effect of increasing the pressure to 641bs. for the deliveries. Two nozzles, each with a diameter of 7-Bths. of an inch, between them ejected slightly more than 300 gallons of water a minute, apart from that pumped through the pipe-line. This rate is considered effective for firefighting purposes.