Monarch Adds New Firefighting Tool, Thanks to Grant

Monarch Fire Protection District teams added another tool to their firefighting arsenal, thanks to a grant from the Missouri American Water Company.

A check for $1,500 toward the purchase of a fire eductor was presented to Monarch Assistant Chief John Borgmann Feb. 11. The donation was part of a grant program run by the company that benefits fire districts in areas covered by Missouri American Water.

According to a press release from the district, the Turbodraft fire eductor is used to access “static water sources,” such as lakes or ponds that are not easily reached by using typical drafting, or suction, techniques. Essentially, the device allows the district to pump water through hoses from such sources, which is important for fighting fires in more remote parts of the district.

“This device will help us in fighting fires in our rural areas without access to public water and will aid in maintaining our ISO rating, thus keeping fire insurances costs as low as possible within the Monarch Fire Protection District,” Chief Tom Vineyard stated in the release.

The 5-inch unit also can be used at tanker fill sites during water shuttle operations, for direct fire attack, fire scene water management and other uses. It can tap into water supplies, such as ponds, streams or swimming pools, up to 250 feet away and generate flows of up to 670 gallons per minute.