More Than 200,000 Gallons Flowed During Large-Scale Water Supply Drill Hosted by New Salem Fire Department

NEW SALEM, N.Y. — More than a dozen Capital Region fire departments came together on June 27, 2026, for a large-scale rural water supply training exercise hosted by the New Salem Fire Department, providing firefighters with realistic training on one of the most critical aspects of firefighting in areas without hydrant systems.

The annual "Big Water" exercise brought together firefighters from the East Berne Fire Department, Berne Fire Department, Coeymans Fire Department, Delmar Fire Department, North Bethlehem Fire Department, Guilderland Center Fire Department, Selkirk Fire Department, Altamont Fire Department, Medusa Fire Department, Rensselaerville Fire Department, Onesquethaw Fire Department and Voorheesville Fire Department.

The exercise simulated a large-scale structure fire requiring a sustained water supply in a rural setting. Firefighters established multiple tanker shuttle operations using portable water tanks, commonly referred to as portable ponds, to continuously deliver water to the scene. One operation utilized three 3,000-gallon portable ponds and eight tankers to supply water to the incident. A second operation employed three additional portable ponds and seven tankers, with New Salem engines supplying a ladder company during the exercise.

Two water fill sites were established to support the tanker shuttle operations—one located on Tygert Road and the second on Pine Street in Voorheesville.To increase the realism of the training, firefighters were presented with unexpected challenges that commonly occur during emergency incidents. During the exercise, one fill site was lost, requiring crews to quickly adjust operations. In addition, a tanker route became blocked by a stopped train, forcing incident commanders to develop an alternate plan without interrupting the water supply operation.

Despite the simulated complications, firefighters successfully adapted to both situations, allowing the exercise to continue without interruption. During the two-hour training period, firefighters flowed more than 200,000 gallons of water through both portable pond operations, demonstrating the effectiveness of coordinated tanker shuttle operations and interagency cooperation.

The New Salem Fire Department hosts the annual water supply drill each year to ensure firefighters throughout the region remain proficient in rural water supply operations and are prepared to deliver large volumes of water during real-world emergencies where municipal hydrants are unavailable. The exercise also provides departments an opportunity to strengthen working relationships and improve coordination during large-scale mutual aid incidents.