GBW Associates LLC

GBW Associates LLC Our 23rd year in business, we specialize in all aspects of fire protection water supply.
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Dump Site Operations #42 - Water Transfer Operations Are Always Critical to Large Flow SuccessOver the years, we have c...
06/06/2026

Dump Site Operations #42 - Water Transfer Operations Are Always Critical to Large Flow Success

Over the years, we have conducted more than 150 Rural Water Supply Operations Seminars, each featuring a two-hour tanker shuttle drill. At most of these drills, water flow was interrupted at least once. Only 17 groups have consistently sustained flows of 1,000 gallons per minute or more.

Several of these groups, known as the 1,000 GPM Club, have achieved rates above 1,500 gallons per minute, and a few came close to 2,000 gallons per minute. For these high-performing teams, water transfer operations were executed flawlessly. Handling such large flows leaves little room for error, especially when transferring more than 1,500 gallons per minute between multiple dump tanks.

The key takeaway is clear: to succeed at sustaining large water flows, it is essential to thoroughly understand and execute water transfer operations.

https://www.gotbigwater.com/news/728/Dump-Site-Operations-42---Water-Transfer-Operations-Are-Always-Critical-to-Large-Flow-Success

We at GBW Associates, LLC routinely sing the praises of suction inlet control valves - internal or external. As with ju...
06/01/2026

We at GBW Associates, LLC routinely sing the praises of suction inlet control valves - internal or external. As with just about anything, there are advantages and disadvantages with each type/brand/model - it is not all rainbows, puppies, and toes in the sand type stuff. One disadvantage of an external valve is when the pump's inlet screen gets blocked with a foreign substance, there is really no way to clean that screen without shutting down the operation and removing the valve in order to access the blockage. These photos show loose pieces of tank coating floating around in a dump tank. Where did it come from? The inside of an old tanker that dumped water into the tank. Where did it go? The suction inlet on the fire pump. The pump was equipped with an external control valve; the driver noticed reduced intake and increased vacuum reading; the operation had to be shut down to clear the blockage.

Some more good work.
05/31/2026

Some more good work.

What's On Your Engine #25? - External Suction Intake Control ValvesThousands of pumpers use some type of suction inlet ...
05/29/2026

What's On Your Engine #25? - External Suction Intake Control Valves

Thousands of pumpers use some type of suction inlet control valve on at least one of their main suction inlets. These valves come in a wide range of sizes and types, offering many choices to departments. In rural areas where drafting operations are a standard practice, many departments use an external suction inlet control valve as part of their setup. In these situations, the best approach is to select a valve with the largest internal waterway to minimize flow restriction and ensure the inlet side is trimmed out with NH threads that match your suction hose, which is most commonly 6-inch NH.

Having a suction inlet control valve, whether internal or external, provides the driver/operator with several options when drafting, using onboard tank water, and adding additional suction lines. The photos in this story show a pumper equipped with a TFT Jumbo Ball Intake Valve on the officer’s side of the vehicle. The driver initially placed the suction line on the driver’s side into service without a valve. The second suction line was installed on the officer’s side after additional equipment arrived. The crew built out the second suction line, connected it to the intake valve, and brought it online without losing prime or stopping operations, thanks to the suction inlet control valve.

https://www.gotbigwater.com/news/727/Whats-On-Your-Engine-25---External-Suction-Intake-Control-Valves

When flows approach or exceed 1,000 gpm, there is almost always the need to dump more than one tanker at a time. When d...
05/26/2026

When flows approach or exceed 1,000 gpm, there is almost always the need to dump more than one tanker at a time. When dump tanks are arranged for side-dumping rigs, space considerations become pretty important - especially when most of the water haulers are tandem axle rigs. In this photo we see two, large-capacity tandem axle tankers dumping at the same time only because the dump tanks are 3000-gal/3500gal/3500gal in size. Had the tanks been smaller - say 2000 gallon, there is a good chance this could not have occurred unless the dump tanks were spaced farther apart.

Haulin' Water - Bluegrass Style! - Plus...Our 44th State!Last weekend, over 40 participants from across Warren County, K...
05/22/2026

Haulin' Water - Bluegrass Style! - Plus...Our 44th State!

Last weekend, over 40 participants from across Warren County, Kentucky attended our 16-hour Rural Water Supply Operations Seminar. The event was sponsored by the Warren County Fire Department System and hosted by the Alvaton Fire Department.

The seminar focused on reviewing best practices for transporting water with tankers. It concluded with a two-hour tanker shuttle drill on Sunday afternoon. During the drill, eight tankers, three pumpers, and two fill sites were used, reaching a peak flow of 1,000 gallons per minute in the final 30 minutes.

This seminar marked the first time the program was held in Kentucky, expanding our fire protection water supply work to 44 states and three provinces. Instruction for the weekend was provided by Mark Davis and Tim Legore.

Units: Alvaton Engine 21, Alvaton Tanker 23, Hadley Engine 86, Plano Tanker 97, Smiths Grove Tanker 33, Woodburn Tanker 53, Gott Engine 68, Gott Tanker 61, Browning Tanker 13, Richardsville Tanker 41, and Auburn Tanker 32.

https://www.gotbigwater.com/news/726/Haulin-Water---Bluegrass-Style---PlusOur-44th-State

This morning’s office.
05/19/2026

This morning’s office.

Address

Westminster, MD
21157

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14433986619

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