The panel is a mixture of gauges, inlets, outlets, lights and control handles that when operated by the pump driver is the beginning of the fire control. The fire hose is the lifeline to a firefighter, if when in a fire, the fire hose that he or she is operating fails, that firefighter is now in danger. So the job of the pump operator is very important, and the pump panel is his tool to do his job. For every fire hose that is fed by the pump, there is a gauge to tell the operator the pressure at which the hose is working, and a control handle that will turn the water supply on or off. To give the pump the water supply that is required to control the fire, there is a 5" or 2 ½" inlet opening at the panel and also on the opposite side of the truck.

The pump panel also controls the water flow to the fire hose hand lines. It is up to the pump operator to control these hand lines at a safe operating pressure and this is done by the controls on the pump panel.

So there is a little bit about the pump panel on our fire truck, one of the many tools of our trade used to protect lives and property.