Engineering Expertise for Modern Fires with Jerry Herbst

On Rig Recon Live, hosts Bruce Quick and Jason Witmier talk with the Godfather of Brass Tacks Hard Facts, Jerry Herbst, about how fire apparatus should be viewed. Small mistakes in pressure and flow can get firefighters hurt, burned, or killed. Herbst explains how “Know Your Flow” training emphasizes accuracy over guesswork, validates real-world friction and plumbing losses, and builds rig-specific pump charts. They discuss how mixed fleets, presets, and nozzle designs can hide inadequate flow. The conversation also covers standpipe operations, valve types and standards, common installation and vandalism issues, and critical high-rise bag equipment.Chapter Markers:00:00 Fire Engine Plumbing Basics01:29 Show Intro and Housekeeping02:12 Meet Jerry Herbst03:14 Fire Service Origins05:05 Know Your Flow Overview07:03 Accuracy Over Pressure09:59 Classroom to Field Setup12:35 Rig Flow Testing Method13:45 Pump House Plumbing Loss19:37 Flow Meters and Standards21:17 DIY Pump Charts22:10 Target Flows and Presets24:27 Small Errors Add Up25:28 Flow Meter Reality Check26:48 Nozzle Design Tradeoffs27:31 Go No Go Stream Test29:28 Confidence To Pursue Reality29:54 Standpipe Basics And Risks31:48 Valve Types And Standards33:37 Common Standpipe Mistakes38:18 Standpipe Bag Essentials41:50 Drain Elbow Origin Story45:27 Top Three Takeaways48:09 Final Thoughts And WrapMore - https://rigrecon.com/Socials - https://rigrecon.com/apparatus-trends/social-media/Send us Fan Mail