Tank to Pump

Pump Operations

Tank to Pump

Tank to pump is the valve that opens the path from the apparatus's booster tank into the pump. Opening it gives the pump its first water source so the first line can flow immediately, before any external supply is established.

It is usually the first move on the first line: open tank-to-pump and the pump has water from the truck's own tank, no hydrant required. The flow path lights up from the tank into the pump and out to the attack line.

Tank water is a countdown, not a supply. The booster tank buys the few minutes it takes to establish a hydrant or draft, so opening tank-to-pump and arranging a lasting supply go hand in hand.

Common questions

What is the tank-to-pump valve?
Tank to pump is the valve that opens the path from the apparatus's booster tank into the pump. Opening it gives the pump its first water source so the first line can flow immediately, before any external supply is established.
Why is tank-to-pump usually the first move on the first line?
Because it makes the engine self-sufficient for the opening moments of an attack. Open tank-to-pump and the pump has water from the truck's own tank — no hydrant required — which buys the time needed to establish a hydrant or a draft.
How long does tank water last?
Only a couple of minutes for a working line — it is a countdown, not a supply. The tank's gallons divided by the flow you are moving gives the minutes until it runs dry, and a bigger nozzle or a second line shortens that clock fast.

Where this shows up

See also