Like riding a bike. Go down to visit your local station house. They'll probably invite you to dinner. June 29 2017 is my last shift after 34 years paid and two volunteer. Where did you operate fire pumps 40 years ago?

Charlton, NY. At the time it was a small farming area with housing developments popping up. Half of the district had hydrants. We had a 1964 Mack thermodyne engine tanker holding 1600 gallons of water and a 1958 Mack engine holding 800 gallons. Both 750 pumps. We had a 1944 Chevrolet on a Buffalo frame. That held 500 gallons and had a 500 pump. We used that a lot for brush fires. Wasn't fwd but could go any ware. Our rescue truck was a 1958 Chevrolet on a 3/4 ton frame. Custom body that held medical supplies and other misc equipment related to our needs. They have replaced all vehicles with newer equipment.

Damn. That's a long time

Agree. Even with volume maxed I can’t hear anything.

You close it after you're hooked into hydrant water.

I have seen it done either way, depends on the operator. One way i look at it is if for some reason you lose your hydrant your backup is ready to go right away no delay and safer for your men or women inside the structure.

You should be watching your supply enough that if you would lose it you should know right away. And in turn figure out why you lost it and if needed get your personal out of the structure, especially if you're going to have to shut down quickly depending how hard you're pumping. It all depends on the truck. I know with the aerial that i run i can go through that 500 gallons on board in about 30 seconds if we have a major fire. But on say the rural truck engine we have i know i have about 2 minutes of on board water if pumping hard. And our engine is also different, Depends on your equipment a lot as well and every call is different.

Mister X totally agree with you. It is common practice to shut your tank to pump valve as soon as you are on a pressurized supply, especially when you have a interior attack crew.

Shut it. No matter what happens you have 500 gl to get your crew out of structure.