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Here is the WWII Firefighter Platoon section from FM 5-5, Engineer Field Manual, Engineer Troops, Dated: October 11, 1943 found at 9th Infantry Division:Manuals
186
ENGINEER TROOPS
SECTION XII
ENGINEER FIRE-FIGHTING PLATOON
* 424. MISSION.-The primary mission of the engineer firefighting
platoon is to provide fire protection at camps, depots,
ports, bases, and airdromes; its secondary mission is to provide
trained instructors in fire-fighting methods and in fireprevention
measures.
* 425. OHOANIZATION.--. The platoon is organized into a headquarters
section and three fire-fighting sections. It is attached
to some other unit for rations and administration.
b. Enlisted personnel consist primarily of fire fighters and
equipment operators.
* 426. EQUI'MENT.-The fire-fighting equipment issued to units
assigned to duty with Army Ground Forces or Army Service
Forces installations consists of one class 325, oversea type.
fire-pumper truck and three class 1,000, 500 gallons-per-minute,
two-wheel trailer, fire-pumper units. (See par. 430b.) The
equipment issued to units assigned to duty with Army Air
Forces installations consists of one class 125 or 135 crash-fire
truck, one class 1,000, 500 gallons-per-minute, two-wheel trailer,
fire-pumper unit, and two class 1,010, high-pressure, two-wheel,
crash-fire trailers. Each unit is equipped with hose, nozzles,
hand extinguishers, and other supplementary fire-fighting
equipment. Details of other equipment are found in T/O & E
5-500.
* 427. TRANSPORTATION.-Transportation consists of light vehicles.
They serve as prime movers for hauling fire-fighting
trailers to fires and for liaison, interstation communication,
and control. Transportation is sufficient to move all personnel,
equipment, and supplies simultaneously.
* 428. ARMAMENT.-Armament consists of carbines.
* 429. OpIrATION.-a. Normally the platoon is dispersed, each
section operating as a unit and responsible for a particular
part of the total territory covered but assisting other sections
upon call for help.
187
EN]GIN3ER FIELD MANUAL
b. Headquarters section is responsible for organizing system
of fire alarm and fire location, dispatching fire-fighting sections
promptly and correctly, operating the fire-fighting truck,
establishing local security and camouflage installations for the
platoon, and for submission of plans to higher commanders for
the promotion of fire-prevention and fire-fighting training in
its assigned area.
c. The fire-fighting 'section is the basic fire-fighting unit.
Each section is equipped with a fire-fighting trailer unit.
[ 430. CAPAULATY.-.a. Each section can operate two hose lines
simultaneously. This is sufficient to control small or moderate
fires. However, additional personnel and equipment are required
to control a general conflagration. Assignment of
platoons or sections to an area is based on a survey of the
area, with particular attention to the concentration of personnel,
supplies, and inflammable buildings in the area, probability
of enemy air raids, and availability of water. Normal
assignment is one platoon per air force group, one platoon per
50,000 persons at camp, and one platoon per 2,000,000 square
feet of storage space of a depot, port, or base.
b. Capacities of fire-fighting equipment are listed in the
following table:
Water tank
Clas of canacity Dishbarge rate Pump prcssure
truck or trailer (-al.) .. (lb per sq. in.)
125 truck 39 0 60 609-80
135 truck 300 60 350
325 truck 300 300 120
1,000 trailer None 500 120
1, )10 Tailr 150 35 50-S0
c. Each type of fire-fighting unit is equipped to pump foam.
fog, or liquid. Foam is used for oil and gasoline fires. It
requires addition of special chemicals in the water. Fog is a
spray of exceedingly fine particles of water and is obtained
through special nozzles. High-pressure fog is considerably
more effective than a solid stream of water in extinguishing
fires, and can be used effectively to extinguish fires of infiammable
liquids and greases.
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