The Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department recently participated in an Alternate Water Supply (AWS) drill hosted by the Watertown Fire Department as part of ongoing efforts to improve the Town of Woodbury’s ISO rating, as well as the ratings of several mutual aid communities.

The drill was monitored by Kerry Flaherty, Field Representative for Community Mitigation with Verisk, to ensure all requirements and standards were met. The exercise evaluated the departments’ ability to establish and sustain an uninterrupted water supply from an alternative source, a critical component of the Insurance Services Office (ISO) Public Protection Classification system.

For communities without widespread fire hydrant coverage, alternative water supply operations play a significant role in fire protection capabilities. These drills demonstrate a department’s ability to draft water from static sources such as ponds, streams, or dry hydrants and efficiently shuttle water to the fire scene using tankers.

To receive ISO credit, departments must meet several key benchmarks:

• Establish water flow within 5 minutes of the first apparatus arriving on scene.
  • Maintain a minimum uninterrupted fire flow, typically beginning at 250 gallons per minute.
  • Sustain the required flow rate for up to 2 hours.
  • Demonstrate rapid tanker fill operations, often targeting fill rates of 1,000 gallons per minute or greater.

The participating departments successfully met and exceeded all requirements during the drill. Not only were the benchmarks achieved, but crews were also able to establish a water supply of more than 750 gallons per minute, significantly surpassing the minimum standards.

The Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department extends its appreciation to the Watertown Fire Department and Deputy Chief Jim Demarest for coordinating this important regional training event. Special thanks also to the firefighters from the Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Department, Morris Volunteer Fire Department, Thomaston Volunteer Fire Department, Middlebury Volunteer Fire Department, and Woodbury Volunteer Fire Department for their teamwork and commitment to enhancing fire protection services throughout our communities.

Training exercises such as these ensure that area fire departments remain prepared to provide dependable water supplies in rural settings, ultimately benefiting residents through improved emergency response capabilities and supporting stronger ISO ratings for participating communities.

Great job to all involved! 🚒💦