Your Solomons Volunteers attended the south-end water supply drill on Thursday night. Engine-Tanker 3, Truck 3, and Squad 3 loaded up with 14 volunteers and headed to St. Leonard Company 7 to begin the drill. The drill included members from Co.7, Co.2, and an Officer from North Beach.

The first part of the drill was setting up the fill site. During a non-hydrated structure fire, we must utilize tankers to shuttle water with a fill site to the fire scene. After Engine 71 was set up at the "Fill site" Squad 3, Truck 3, Tankers 2, 7 and Engine-Tanker 3 loaded up and made their way to St. Leonard Elementary School where the make-shift "fire scene" was. Squad 3 set up as the dump site and attack engine utilizing the rear-mounted pump. Tankers 2 and 7 deployed their dump tanks, which can be transported anywhere and hold a specific amount of water usually around 3000 gallons. The dump site engine will use these dump tanks and suck water out of them using a particular hose called a hard sleeve; this hose allows an airtight seal so the engine can create a vacuum to pull the water from the dump tanks. The drill began after the dump site and fill site were set up. Squad 3 started flowing a ground-mounted deck gun to simulate an attack line on a fire. Tankers 7, 2, and Engine-Tanker 3 began dumping their water into the dump tanks, this started the "tanker shuttle." While the tankers were completing their shuttles from the dump site to the fill site, Squad 3 maintained a flow of 250 GPM for the entirety of the drill. After the drill was put into full swing, Squad 3 was able to efficiently maintain a flow of 600 GPM.

The drill ran for approximately an hour and 30 minutes, never losing flow from Squad 3. This drill helps us maintain our skills and gain more knowledge so that when the time comes, we are efficient at them. It is also a great opportunity to drill with our fellow companies, which allows for smooth operations in the field. Co.3 would like to thank Co.7 for hosting us, Co.2 for joining us, and Bert from NBVFD.