John Bean specialiazed in producing pumpers with a low-volume very high pressure pump and hosereel system. The theory, based on US Navy experiments after WWII, was that limited quntities of water could tackle serious fires if delivered at high enough pressure. This is of course true - but only up to a point! Because of limited range, the system requires the firefighters to get very close in to the fire, and radiant heat does not always permit a person with a high pressure branch to do so.
After a relatively short number of years the system fell into disrepute in the US, and most pumpers no longer carry high pressure pumps or even hose reel ("booster reel") systems. But it remains popular in Europe, although in some major countries such as Germany and France fire services are increasingly turning to 45mm low pressure attack lines for interior structure fires.
My local fire department on Long Island NY bought a Ward La France "High Pressure Wagon" in the mid 1970s but ran it for only a few years, because it was deemed to be useless at anything more than nuisance fires. It was replaced by an ALF 1500 GPM pumper.
After a relatively short number of years the system fell into disrepute in the US, and most pumpers no longer carry high pressure pumps or even hose reel ("booster reel") systems. But it remains popular in Europe, although in some major countries such as Germany and France fire services are increasingly turning to 45mm low pressure attack lines for interior structure fires.
My local fire department on Long Island NY bought a Ward La France "High Pressure Wagon" in the mid 1970s but ran it for only a few years, because it was deemed to be useless at anything more than nuisance fires. It was replaced by an ALF 1500 GPM pumper.
Added by Rob Johnson on 28 July 2014.