Firefighter Engineer/ Operator Mystery Cache

Firefighter – Engineer/ Operator

I have often thought about placing a set of caches out detailing and identifying different aspects of the fire department as I have been a member of a local station for over 34 years. Although not active like I use to be; there are younger guys for the job. J So I finally got around to coming up with some ideas for a firefighter geocache series. This is the first of a few caches that I plan to get out and place; I hope you enjoy it.

Have you ever dreamed about being a firefighter? ….. Well, now it is your turn to be one!

There are many different ranks, positions and aspects to firefighting. Whether you are an EMT, Paramedic, Chief Officer (Chief, Asst. Chief, Battalion Chief, Deputy Chief), Line Officer (Captain, Lieutenant, Safety Officer) Engineer/ Operator or Firefighter each positon and rank has its own inherent skills, training, knowledge and overall expertise.

Today, we are identifying the Engineer/ Operator; this firefighter has numerous responsibilities from maintaining all aspects of the fire engine, to safely navigating city streets in emergency response mode, to thinking quickly and working efficiently on the fire ground to ensure an adequate water supply and pump pressure for the firefighters on the other end of the hose line at the nozzle, who are attempting to extinguish the fire.  Trust me there is much more to putting the wet stuff on the red stuff when it comes to putting out a fire, but today we are simply focusing on engine, pressure (pump discharge pressure), friction loss, gallons per minute (GPM), appliance loss and elevation loss.  

The Engineer/ Operator’s office at a fire scene is the pump panel and at first glance it can be very overwhelming. All those gauges, numbers, names, abbreviations, switches, lights, valves, etc. Today you will get a glimpse into a day on the job with our Engineer/ Operator. Rather than bore you with all the theory that goes into being an expert pump operator, I will give you the Pump Operations for Geocachers version but it will include some extra reading and some math. Read on if you are up to the challenge.

Below you will find a pump operator’s cheat sheet, it will provide you with all the information you will need to solve for the coordinates to locate the hidden cache.

A note for all the firefighters out there reading this, as you can tell it is a very simplified look at pump operations. I have taken the liberty to round certain numbers and figures for ease of calculations and they may not match up to those found on your apparatus.   

I would like to thank all firefighters and first responders for all they do to keep us safe.

Trivia: Benjamin Franklin helped create the first fire company in Pennsylvania. It was the The Union Fire Company, dedicated on Dec. 7, 1736 and located in Philadelphia, PA.

Solve for the Coordinates:

AA  BB.CCD     ___ ___  ___ ___.___ ___ ___                       

                          A     A      B     B      C     C     D

EE   FF.GGG      ___ ___  ___ ___.___ ___ ___                                               

                          E      E      F      F      G    G     G

North Coordinates:

A= What is the friction loss for 500’ of 1 ½” hose flowing 60 GPM? ______

B = The combined sum from the next two bullet point questions is the answer for B.

·         What is the friction loss for 300’ of 2 ½” hose flowing 150 GPM ______

·         What is the friction loss for 100’ of 2 ½” hose flowing 200 GPM ______

·         B = ________

C= What is the combined sum of:

·         What is the Standard Nozzle Pressure for a smooth bore nozzle on an attack line? _____

·         What is the appliance loss (APP) for a standpipe? _____

·         What is the gallons per minute (GPM) for a 1 ½” smooth bore master stream nozzle, minus 585 gpm? _____

·         Combined sum of all three (3) answers: ______ = C

D= What is the Elevation Loss (EL) for one story plus 3 pounds? _____

West Coordinates:

E= What is the combined sum of:

·         What is the elevation loss (EL) for an 11 story building? _____

·         What is the friction loss (FL) for 200’ of  2 ½“ hose flowing 250 gpm? _____

·         Combined sum _____ = E

F = What is the Appliance Loss (AL) for a deck gun (master stream) minus eleven (11) pounds? _____

      (place a zero in front of the answer)

G= The total sum of the bullet points below will be the answer for “G” and it will be the remaining three digits for the West coordinates.

·         What is the EP for 200’ of 1 ¾” hose (attack line) flowing 150 gpm through a variable stream nozzle operating on the second story of a building utilizing a ground ladder (no standpipe)? ______

EP = NP + FL + APP + ELEV   (Hint- no Appliance Loss)

·         What is the Appliance Loss (APP) for a building standpipe? _____

·         Your engine is supplying its own pre-piped deck gun (master stream), it has a 1 ¼” smooth bore nozzle.

§  Hint/ Note: Pre-piped means no hose line, it is plumbed directly to the pump, so only NP & APP applies.

o   What is the EP for the deck gun? _____

o   What is the GPM for the 1 ½” smooth bore nozzle (master stream)? _____

·         If you are connected to a hydrant that is supplying you with a static pressure of 55 psi. How much engine pressure would you need to make 100 psi?  _____

·         Combined sum of all four bullet points _____ = G

Your Check Sum should be 48 or you can try the GeoChecker to verify the coordinates.

For the FTF Once you get to GZ, take a compass reading and walk approx. 75 feet at a bearing of 80 degrees to retrieve your FTF Prize.