Red Card Water Handling & Portable Pump Operations

Question 1

When setting up a portable pump to draft water from a stream, 'priming' the pump refers to:

Accepted Answer

Removing air from the suction hose and pump housing to create the vacuum needed to lift water

Answer

Adding a fuel-oil mixture to the engine before the first start of the season

Answer

Connecting the discharge hose to the pump outlet before starting the engine

Answer

Flushing the pump with clean water after use to prevent mineral deposits

Question 2

In a progressive hose lay, water is moved from a pump source to the fireline by:

Accepted Answer

Extending one hose length at a time while the pump is operating, advancing toward the fire

Answer

Connecting all hose sections before charging any line with water

Answer

Using a single large-diameter supply line with multiple lateral branches tapped off it

Answer

Relaying water between two separate pumps staged at fixed intervals

Question 3

Friction loss in a fire hose refers to:

Accepted Answer

The reduction in pressure caused by water moving through hose against the inner wall

Answer

Pressure lost due to elevation change between the pump and the nozzle

Answer

Water volume lost through small leaks at hose couplings under operating pressure

Answer

Engine power lost to heat when a pump runs dry without water supply

Question 4

A 'wye' fitting used in wildland hose lays is primarily used to:

Accepted Answer

Split one supply line into two separate hose lines for simultaneous use

Answer

Join two supply lines into a single larger-diameter discharge line

Answer

Step down hose diameter from large-diameter supply to small-diameter attack hose

Answer

Regulate and maintain constant nozzle pressure when supply pressure fluctuates

Question 5

When operating a Mark 3 portable pump, the operator notices the engine is running but water delivery at the nozzle has dropped significantly. The FIRST thing to check is:

Accepted Answer

Whether the pump has lost prime due to air entering the suction line

Answer

Engine throttle position and fuel level

Answer

Nozzle tip size and whether it has been changed to a smaller orifice

Answer

Hose coupling tightness at the furthest connection from the pump

Question 6

The maximum practical lift height for most wildland portable centrifugal pumps drafting from a static water source is approximately:

Accepted Answer

26 feet

Answer

10 feet

Answer

20 feet

Answer

40 feet