East Franklin Township Fire Department Tests Equipment & Manpower
East Franklin Township fire crews last night took the opportunity to test their pumps by drawing water from the Allegheny River and pumping it back into the river at a high velocity. It was part of their regular drill training session.
by David Croyle
A local fire department moved its drill exercises to the boat launch area in Kittanning Borough last night to test pumps and train its crew.
East Franklin Township Fire Department Captain Mike Kutch explained.
“We suck water out of the river into our pump and discharge the water through different discharges.”
Water streamed high into the air from both an onboard pump on the engine and a secondary pump on the ground.
Kutch said that going through the training exercise also helps them to test the flow of their pump for insurance purposes.
“We are trying to get our ISO rating for the township up, so we are working on getting our engine in compliance. We need to test the flow of the engine to make sure it flows enough water, which I believe it does.”
Kutch said they took advantage of the pleasant weather yesterday.
“These are the kind of things you want to do in the summer, and not in the winter. You don’t want to freeze your pump up in the middle of winter when it is cold if you don’t have to.”
Kutch said the department has approximately 70 members on the roster, and draws at least 10 members per call at any given time.
“You get your good days and your bad days. Sometimes everybody’s busy. The next time, you get a bunch of guys.”
Applewold members also run with every call directed to East Franklin. Kutch said it is all about public safety.
“We are all out doing the same thing… trying to keep everyone safe… and drill!”
Local News | dcroyle July 23, 2015
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By worthingtonman, July 24, 2015 @ 10:21 PM
The insurance companies clearly benefit from a well maintained and functional fire department. They use this ISO to claim to give lower premiums when the fact is if you have a Lowe ISO they charge a higher premium. I think they should use their billions in profit to to help fund the fireballs and pay these volunteers when they extinguish a fire and save the insurance company money. Recently while applying for some life insurance I found about the MIB that insurance companies use to decide wether or not to insure you. Apparently whenever you sign papers at the doctors or hospital you are allowing parts of your information to go to this MIB. They seem to skirt the HIPPA laws by using consent and medical coding.? This insurance company asked me about doctors I have seen that I had bro released to them. And although I read where your prescription information is not supposed to be released, the insurance company asked me about prescriptions they had seen. Has anyone else known about the existence of the MIB? It sure seems like a invasion of your privacy and a squirrelly way for the insurance companies to get a hand up on people.