One firefighter. One valve. Full tank.
Fireman's Friend valves mount inside the water tank, open at very low pressure and close on their own. One person can fill a tanker or pumper and disconnect without closing a second valve, and the valve won't freeze, won't leak and needs essentially no maintenance.
Built by people who know the fire service
Fireman's Friend Engineering, Inc. was founded in 1994 to patent and develop a better direct-fill device for fire apparatus. Inventor William “Bill” Rucker, who also invented the TOPMOUNT PUMPER, worked with developer Dale Larson to bring the valve to market.
We chose the name because we believed this design would make firefighting easier, safer and more effective. Decades later, our valves are still in service on tankers and pumpers, and they've proven essentially maintenance-free.
What makes our valves better
A simple, patented design that gets water from the source to the fire faster and with less hazard.
Fills faster
Guaranteed to fill faster and to cut turnaround time dramatically.
One-person filling
Open the hydrant, fill the tank and disconnect. One firefighter can handle the whole job.
Will not freeze
The valve sits inside the water tank, and the tank itself acts as the heat source.
Will not leak
A spring-actuated piston seal closes positively the moment the source is shut off.
Maintenance-free
Valves have been in regular fire service since 1998 without needing maintenance.
Self-diffusing
No separate diffuser is needed, which saves both parts and installation cost.
Prevents water hammer
Built to stand up to severe water supply conditions and to go easy on the tank.
Low opening pressure
The 4″ body opens at less than 3 PSI and the 2½″ body at less than 6 PSI.
Easy to install
Fits an existing truck or goes in as OEM equipment. Installation takes about twenty minutes.
No special training
Crews can use it right away, and the valve conforms to NFPA 1901 standards.
Five models.
Two body sizes.
Every valve we've made since our first year uses heavy-gauge 316 stainless steel castings, EPDM rubber seals, high-grade stainless steel springs and shafts, and prevailing torque fasteners.
2½″ body
FFE2525CF8M-F
2½″ NPT-F hose connection fitting View specs →
2½″ body
FFE2530CF8M-F
3″ NPT-F hose connection fitting View specs →
4″ body
FFE4030CF8M-F
3″ NPT-F hose connection fitting View specs →
4″ body
FFE4040CF8M-F
4″ NPT-F hose connection fitting View specs →
4″ body
FFE4050CF8M-M
5″ NPT-M hose connection fitting View specs →Materials and construction
Heavy-gauge 316 stainless steel castings have been used on every valve since our first year.
A self-cleaning EPDM valve seal gives positive sealing as soon as the feed source is shut off.
High-grade stainless steel springs and shafts. Our spring supplier also supplies NASA.
Prevailing torque fasteners, locked with an underwater sealant, keep the assembly tight.
The Hydrodynamic Duo
Hydrants and other fill sources can range from 30 PSI or less to 100 PSI or more. Pair two of our valves on one tank and those swings become easy to manage, without giving up turnaround time or risking over-pressurizing the tank on a “hot” hydrant.
What firefighters say
This valve is something we have needed in the fire service for as long as I have been in the fire service, and that's over 40 years!
We are filling our 1,250-gallon tanker a full minute faster with the Fireman's Friend 4-inch valve, compared with the slow-close valve installed on the tank. We plan to retrofit all of our tankers with Fireman's Friend valves.
We save at least 30 seconds on every turnaround!
One person can fill the tank easily: open the hydrant, fill the tank and disconnect. That eliminates time, and time is of the essence when you are fighting a fire.
Please call for current pricing
We're happy to talk through which valve fits your tankers and pumpers. Call or email us and we'll get back to you.