If you had to call the fire department and they ran out of water, what do you think the odds are of them saving your property or the lives of you and your family?

In many rural settings across the States and Canada, these properties are at a much higher risk for a greater loss than municipal areas with hydrants ready to provide an almost endless supply of water.

It’s not that the rural fire departments are less equipped or experienced, it’s the fact that they do not have the same water resources as cities or towns. And considering 83% of firefighters in Canada are volunteers and 70% are in the States, it’s clear that more firefighters are working in rural areas than suburban areas .

And as the author of this article, I can speak first hand to the reasons why rural departments are already behind the 8-ball when responding to these fires.

How do I know this?

Because I have been a volunteer firefighter since 1991 covering a small farming community in northeast Indiana. And I’ve witnessed countless fires where water was more valuable than gold. I’ve seen fire trucks run out of water before other trucks could arrive. I’ve seen fire trucks arrive with little or no water at all in their tanks. After nearly 30-years, I’ve seen a lot, but water has always been the number one concern.

That’s where fire suppression tanks can become a lifesaver – literally.

Brooklin Concrete produces fire suppression tanks with rubber connectors

Brooklin Concrete is helping to protect these types of properties by producing precast fire suppression tanks. And although they’re more common in Canada, precast producers in the States are manufacturing them as well.

Brooklin Concrete Products has been in business since 1952 transforming landscapes with paving stones and retaining walls. Their ability to manufacture hydro vault and septic system products also puts them as a leading resource in waste and stormwater collection systems in the Toronto area.

Their fire suppression tanks range in size from 5,000 gals (22,750L) to 20,000 gals (90,900L) with most wall thicknesses in the 5-6” range (127mm – 152mm).

The tanks are buried below the frost line and strategically placed in rural areas for fire department use only. Without these tanks, fire departments must rely on ponds/lakes or shuttle water from areas further away from where hydrants are located.

A recent job that Brooklin completed required 4 tanks to be linked together providing upwards of 50,000 gallons (200k L) of water and are capable of covering 2 different manufacturing facilities on the property.

Brooklin wants to ensure water will always be in the tanks when the fire departments arrive, so that meant they needed a good way to seal the connections between the tanks.

To get water from one tank to another on this particular job, they connected to each with schedule 80 pipe and every outlet needed a rubber gasket. Brooklin chose to use our patented PSX: Direct Drive because they felt the reliability and ease-of-use was the best possible option.

On many fire suppression tank construction sites, the job will require Brooklin to core drill the wall for a rubber connector and the PSX: Direct Drive is their go-to option.

“This flexibility on-site is critical to us getting the job finished on-time and within budget”, Jami Quathamer – Brooklin Concrete.

Precast products are historically proven and have the ability to save lives

Water has always played an important role in the health and safety of communities around the world and precast products have continually been the go-to product in the States and Canada. Whether supplying potable water through pipes or providing a valuable resource in fire suppression tanks to save lives and property, this material has historically been critical to the success of many projects.

If you live in a rural area or your municipality could use additional resources to keep your citizens safe, then precast fire suppression tanks are a solution you should consider.

If nothing else, contact your local volunteer fire department to see if they are aware of this potentially life-saving and cost-effective resource.

Contact Brooklin Concrete or Press-Seal Corporation today to learn how you can set the gold standard for keeping people safe from the dangers of fire.