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Steve Morelan says it well on Waterousco.com’s blog:

“The fire pump is sometimes referred to as the ‘heart’ of the fire truck. For without a pump, a fire truck is just a transport vehicle that can bring firefighters and equipment to the scene, but is incapable of extinguishing any fire. In order to get the wet stuff on the red stuff, a fire pump is needed.”

Whatever you call your department’s fire pump, you’ll agree that it is an incredibly important firefighting component to keep maintained and functioning properly.

The NFPA and Insurance Services Office, Inc. (ISO) require fire departments to test the fire pump on a truck annually. By doing annual pump testing, your department could lower your ISO class rating, which would reflect on your local insurance rates.

Before doing a pump test, however, a service should be done on the pump. These services include:

• Changing oil in pump gearcase
• Checking all fluids
• Greasing driveline
• Dry vacuum test
• Checking pump shift
• Running pump
• Adjusting packing or checking mechanical seal
• Checking all plumbing for leaks
• Checking gauges
• Operating all valves (including relief valves and staging valves)

At Midwest Fire, we have a mobile pump test trailer, allowing us to conduct pump testing on-site. Like The NFPA and Insurance Services Office, Inc., we recommend doing a pump test annually. This will keep your fire department informed on the pump’s health, its rating, or if there is a start of an issue inside of the pump.

Of course, if you’re looking to update your Fire Apparatus, contact Midwest Fire.