Las Vegas Valley fire departments get water-conserving simulators

Firefighters have to train so they’ll be ready to put out fires when the call comes.

But they don’t have to waste water when they’re training for that call. At least, not anymore.

The Southern Nevada Water Authority has given local departments training simulators that will allow engineers — the crew members responsible for operating water pumping systems — to train without wasting millions of gallons of water every year.

And it’s a pretty simple solution.

“It just keeps recirculating water so we don’t waste any water,” said Terry Wilferd, division chief of training for the Henderson Fire Department.

Fire departments for Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson received the simulators, which cost a total of $280,000, according to a news release.

The simulators, which house 2,000-gallon tanks and sit on trailers, hook up to fire trucks and allow engineers to troubleshoot various scenarios. Wilferd said the machines can simulate real-life issues such as ruptured hose lines and kinked hoses in a safer training environment.

Water authority officials conservatively estimate the simulators will save nearly 49 million gallons of water every year. The simulators, built by Texas-based FD International, are expected to last about 15 years.

Originally, each fire department was going to chip in to buy just one simulator before the water authority agreed to help, Wilferd said.

FD International founder and owner Jeff Clifton said his company has deployed about 80 units worldwide.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.