Fire departments running small pumpers and utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) can choose from a wide variety of slip-in skid units for their rigs. The makers of skid units work closely with departments to develop the types of skids needed for specific applications as well as for general fire suppression from smaller platforms.
Jim Darley, pump division inside sales manager for W.S. Darley & Company, says Darley makes three Fast Attack skid versions. “The Fast Attack 1 is our economy skid that incorporates a 13-horsepower (hp) twin-impeller Davey pump that can deliver 120 gallons per minute (gpm) at 40 pounds per square inch (psi), 95 gpm at 108 psi, 60 gpm at 133 psi, and 20 gpm at 146 psi,” Darley says. “If the customer is only after flows to support a hose reel and a 1½-inch discharge, we use one of our gear-driven pumps,” Darley observes. “Any Darley pump that has a ‘G’ in the name signifies there’s a gear box between the pump and transmission, making the impeller spin faster and creating higher pressures. The gear box helps reduce engine rpm and noise and prolongs engine life.” Such pumps are capable of 120 gpm at 155 psi, 75 gpm at 230 psi, and 35 gpm at 300 psi, he adds.
1 W.S. Darley & Company makes three Fast Attack skid unit versions. Shown is the Fast Attack 1 that has a 13-hp Davey pump with an optional foam nozzle. (Photo courtesy of W.S. Darley & Company)
“If a customer is looking to also support a 2½-inch discharge to fill tankers in a pinch, we recommend a direct-drive portable pump that offers less pressure but more volume. Our 2BE multipurpose pump flows up to 380 gpm and could supply a 1½-inch hoseline at 140 psi,” Darley says. “It delivers 380 gpm at 25 psi, 150 gpm at 115 psi, and 100 gpm at 135 psi. We also can provide diesel engines instead of gasoline as well as larger water tanks.”
