Advanced Drafting
Andy Soccodato
Saturday, June 14, 2025
1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
In today’s fire service, it is common to see fire departments that purchase pumping apparatus with 1,500- to 2,000-gpm rated pumps. NFPA 1900 states that apparatus with pump capacities greater than 1,500 gpm must be capable of doing so using no more than two separate suction lines. This may seem like a trivial piece of information; however, it is often overlooked and results in less-than-ideal flow rates in the real world. This course is designed to teach students fireground proven methods for maximizing their flow capability while operating from a static source. Students will be introduced to several alternative drafting techniques that don’t require the use of a primer. Methods for expanding the initial system to incorporate multiple intakes will then be discussed. This setup will yield higher fire flows and reduce the amount of work required by the pumper during rural water supply operations. The instructor will also discuss options and methods for accessing water from challenging water sources.
Andy Soccodato
Andy Soccodato has served in the fire service since 2006 in both career and volunteer agencies that covered both rural and urban communities. Nine years of his career were spent as a firefighter and driver/operator for the Charlottesville (VA) Fire Department. Soccodato currently works as a full time Fire Instructor II at the Tennessee State Fire Academy where he oversees the driver/pump & aerial programs. He is also the owner of The Water Thieves, LLC, a business which specializes in delivering street smart driver/pump operator courses. Soccodato is also a member of the Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment Magazine Editorial Advisory Board, has presented at FDIC, and is the author of the book Water Thievery: The Art of Water Supply Operations.
