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Engineering Expertise for Modern Fires with Jerry Herbst
Rig Recon Live
On Rig Recon Live, hosts Bruce Quick and Jason Witmier talk with the Godfather of Brass Tacks Hard Facts, Jerry Herbst, about how fire apparatus should be viewed. Small mistakes in pressure and flow can get firefighters hurt, burned, or killed. Herbst explains how “Know Your Flow” training emphasizes accuracy over guesswork, validates real-world friction and plumbing losses, and builds rig-specific pump charts. They discuss how mixed fleets, presets, and nozzle designs can hide inadequate flow. The conversation also covers standpipe operations, valve types and standards, common installation and vandalism issues, and critical high-rise bag equipment.
Chapter Markers:
00:00 Fire Engine Plumbing Basics
01:29 Show Intro and Housekeeping
02:12 Meet Jerry Herbst
03:14 Fire Service Origins
05:05 Know Your Flow Overview
07:03 Accuracy Over Pressure
09:59 Classroom to Field Setup
12:35 Rig Flow Testing Method
13:45 Pump House Plumbing Loss
19:37 Flow Meters and Standards
21:17 DIY Pump Charts
22:10 Target Flows and Presets
24:27 Small Errors Add Up
25:28 Flow Meter Reality Check
26:48 Nozzle Design Tradeoffs
27:31 Go No Go Stream Test
29:28 Confidence To Pursue Reality
29:54 Standpipe Basics And Risks
31:48 Valve Types And Standards
33:37 Common Standpipe Mistakes
38:18 Standpipe Bag Essentials
41:50 Drain Elbow Origin Story
45:27 Top Three Takeaways
48:09 Final Thoughts And Wrap
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