Water Ejectors for Use in Wildland Firefighting

Wildland firefighters have two methods of drafting water from a natural water source: suction drafting and ejector drafting. Ejectors can draft water over longer distances and at lifts greater than 22 ft, well beyond the capability of suction drafting. This extends the range of standard engines in wildland firefighting to obtain water sources normally classed as inaccessible. Ejectors are especially useful when water tenders are not readily available. They significantly reduce tank refill time and can provide water directly to a nozzle in wildland firefighting operations. They have proven to be an inexpensive effective tool for drafting water for many years. San Dimas Technology and Development Center has assessed drafting capabilities and water pickup effectiveness of nine commercially available water ejectors applicable to wildland firefighting. Ejectors were evaluated for their ability to draft water across both level and sloped surfaces, with distances up to 300 ft from natural water sources and lifts up to 80 ft.