The old engineer meets the sam system
By John Hanson
The Old Engineer meets the SAM System.
I entered the fire service back in 1993 as a Paid-on-Call firefighter and was hired in a full-time department in 1996. This is when I was introduced to Fire Apparatus Engineering. Back then, becoming an "FAE" wasn't easy. You needed to take a 40-hour course, pass a 220-question written test covering general knowledge and pump calculations, and then prove it on the practical.
The course required us to memorize how to calculate the proper pressure for each discharge which included memorizing the following: the different types of nozzle pressures for smooth bore, fog nozzles, and master streams, the friction loss in the hose with the basic formula being 2Q2+Q for 2.5" hose and the associated conversion factors, the friction loss of different types of appliances, and finally account for elevation (either above or below grade). Once we did all that, we knew what to psi to pump the line at. Then we had to put that into practice while pumping the apparatus. This not only included doing calculations in our head, but we had to set the discharges to the proper pressures and cut over to hydrant supply using "Gating and Feathering," all without having the pressures vary by more than plus or minus 10psi.
Once all this was passed, and you were a Certified Fire Apparatus Engineer! Now, did we still have all the calculations and information memorized as the years went on? We all know the answer. We either carried cheat sheets on us for our standard hose loads or made marks with tape or grease pencils on the gauges, so we knew what pressure we needed for effective streams. Could we still cut over from tank water to hydrant supply without spiking the pressure in the lines, or start an exposure line without depleting the pressure in the attack lines? If you kept in practice, you most certainly could, but when you were at a ripping fire, sometimes the gating and feathering were not as optimal as they could have been.
Fast forward to 2025. I am still involved in the fire service as a volunteer, instructor, and apparatus representative, and recently met a new "engineer" named SAM, the IDEX SAM Water Management System. When asked if I would like a demonstration, I hesitated. I always liked engineering fires, the sound of the engine, the vibration of the pump panel, and the challenges of keeping multiple lines and your water supply operating during the duration of the incident. And let's be honest, the fire service is famous for nearly 300 years of tradition, unimpeded by change! But understanding that in order for any profession to grow, change is part of the process, I decided to learn more about SAM.
At the test pit, we set up two 1.75" crosslays, two 2.5" lines, and a hard suction setup on the right side of the apparatus. I started the apparatus and put it into pump and walked over to the pump panel – only to find SAM had already opened the tank-to-pump valve and was circulating water. On the display, I saw icons for each discharge and their target pressures. The instructor said, "Just drag the crosslay discharge over to the 'pump'." I did – and the line charged perfectly. I then added a larger 2.5" line next, and it brought that line up to pressure without disturbing the pressure in the first line. No gating and feathering or watching the gauges, and it was quick. Now I was running out of water and needed to get my draft established. This was the impressive part; I just dragged the "draft" icon over to the pump. SAM primed, opened the valve, switched to draft, and started filling the water tank, stopping on its own when it was full. No pressures dipped or spiked during this process, and it was quick with no other interaction from me besides sliding the draft icon on the screen. I was impressed.
Over the next 15 minutes, I opened and closed lines, tweaked pressures, cut off draft (SAM automatically went back to tank water), and even charged the deck gun just for fun. Everything worked seamlessly. The best way I can describe the system is that inside the pump, there is a guy named Sam - the best engineer you've ever worked with. He knows all the calculations and is the world's best at gating and feathering. All you have to do is tell him what to do, and he does it immediately.
After the demonstration, the instructor and I discussed the SAM's options - foam systems, a mobile tablet allowing you to control the pump remotely, and nozzles that will communicate with the system, giving the attack team the ability to open and close their line as well as show them the water supply status. Since it's all digital, updates and upgrades are available as improvements are made.
So am I convinced that the SAM system or systems like it – represent the future of pump operations? Yes, I am. That doesn't mean we stop training or forget redundancy. It just means that fire service, slow as we are to change, keeps moving forward. If you ever get a chance to see or participate in a SAM demo, take it. You'll see for yourself what the next generation of firefighting looks like. Stay safe.