New Fire Fighting Gizmo Can Pump Water From SF Bay Four Miles Into Hills

A Berkeley fire truck sprays water pumped out of the San Francisco Bay on Thursday Oct. 21 in a test of new fire fighting equipment that can pump water at 6,000 gallons a minute. Berkeley paid $9.6 million for the new equipment and the building to house it as a backup fire fighting system in case underground water mains break in an earthquake or if water supplies are used up during a wild fire. The system can pump from the bay, and through four miles of 12 inch diameter hoses, bring it all the way to the Berkeley hills. It also can pump from swimming pools and lakes. (Photo by Doug Oakley)

Twelve inch hoses bring bay water to a truck at the Berkeley Marina. (Photo By Doug Oakley)

Twelve inch diameter hoses can carry water four or five miles from the San Francisco Bay to the Berkley Hills with a new pumping system the city bought as a backup to fire hydrants. (Photo by Doug Oakley)

A blast of water arcs over the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley as the Berkeley fire department tests a new system that can pump water through 12 inch hoses five miles into the Berkeley Hills. (Photo by Doug Oakley)