The Eureka Fire Company of Stewartstown, PA, hosted a 2-day rural water supply training at their fire station this past weekend. The class was conducted by Got Big Water Associates of Westminster, MD. Rural water supply training is essential for fire companies that do not have municipal water systems for fire fighting purposes. Water must be obtained from streams, ponds, and sometimes swimming pools and either pumped via a hose or transported via a fire engine or tanker to the scene of a fire. Doing this efficiently and safely cannot be practiced enough.

The first day consisted of both classroom and hands-on demonstration of the proper ways to establish both fill sites (where you get your water) and dump sites (where you dump your water). Companies from Harford and Carroll Counties in Maryland and York County, PA, participated. Members from Jarrettsville trained on Engine 714 and Supply 781.

The second day consisted of more classroom, pump training, pump appliance familiarization, setting up folding tanks and water transfer devices, and fill site operations. After lunch, a 2-hour drill commenced with a goal of maintaining a 500 GPM minimum flow. At the beginning of the second hour, the flow was increased to and maintained at just over 1,000 GPM, placing the drill in the "1000 GPM Club" by Got Big Water. This drill was one of 7, out of roughly 50 drills conducted, to achieve this flow. Members all received a sticker showing membership in the club.