Fire-fighting control system

1. A control system for use with a fire-fighting device, said system comprising:

a pump coupled to the fire-fighting device, said pump having an inlet coupleable in fluid communication with a remote fluid source and an outlet coupled in fluid communication with a discharge of the fire-fighting device;

a pressure sensor configured to measure an operating pressure of fluid flow between the remote fluid source and the inlet; and

a base component in communication with said pump and said pressure sensor, said base component comprising a programmable logic controller having predefined logic stored thereon, wherein said base component automatically controls operation of said pump based on the predefined logic and the measured operating pressure of fluid flow between the remote fluid source and said pump.

2. A control system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the predefined logic includes a pressure threshold, wherein said base component automatically reduces a speed of said pump in response to the measured operating pressure falling below the pressure threshold.

3. A control system in accordance with claim 2 , wherein said base component automatically outputs a notification indicating that the speed of said pump is being reduced in response to the measured operating pressure falling below the pressure threshold.

4. A control system in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a remote component in communication with said base component, said remote component configured to receive a user-requested parameter of fluid, and to display a plurality of indicators associated with the fire-fighting device, wherein said remote component is configured to receive the communication transmitted from base component.

5. A control system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein the user-requested parameter of fluid represents a desired liquid pressure at a nozzle in flow communication with the discharge of the fire-fighting device, and wherein said base component further controls said pump based on the desired liquid pressure.

6. A control system in accordance with claim 4 , wherein, in response to receiving the communication, the remote component provides at least one of an audio, vibratory, and visual signal indicating that the speed of said pump is being reduced.

7. A control system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a source line coupleable to said inlet and configured to direct a fluid flow from the remote fluid source to said pump, wherein said pressure sensor is located on said source line.

8. A control system in accordance with claim 7 further comprising a first valve coupled to said source line and configured to control a first fluid flow between the remote fluid source and said pump, wherein said base component is in communication with said first valve, and wherein said base component automatically controls operation of said pump based on an actuation state of said first valve.

9. A control system in accordance with claim 8 further comprising:

a storage tank coupled to the fire-fighting device for storing a volume of water;

a tank supply line extending between said storage tank and said pump, said tank supply line comprising a second valve for controlling a second flow of fluid from said storage tank; and

a discharge line extending between said outlet and a nozzle, said discharge line comprising a third valve for controlling a third flow of fluid from said pump to said nozzle, wherein said base component is in communication with said second valve and said third valve, and wherein said base component automatically further controls operation of said pump based on an actuation state of said second valve and an actuation state of said third valve.

10. A programmable logic controller for use with a fire-fighting device coupled to a pump having an inlet coupleable in fluid communication with a remote fluid source, said programmable logic controller configured to communicate with the pump and a pressure sensor operable to measure an operating pressure of fluid flow between the remote fluid source and the pump, said programmable logic controller having predefined logic stored thereon, wherein said programmable logic controller, when communicatively coupled to the pump and the pressure sensor, automatically controls operation of the pump based on the predefined logic and the measured operating pressure of fluid flow between the remote fluid source.

11. A programmable logic controller in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the predefined logic includes a pressure threshold, wherein said programmable logic controller, when communicatively coupled to the pump and the pressure sensor, automatically reduces a speed of the pump in response to the measured operating pressure falling below the pressure threshold.

12. A programmable logic controller in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said programmable logic controller automatically outputs a notification indicating that the speed of the pump is being reduced in response to the measured operating pressure falling below the pressure threshold.

13. A programmable logic controller in accordance with claim 12 , wherein said programmable logic controller is communicatively coupled to a remote component, the remote component being configured to receive a user-requested parameter of fluid, and to display a plurality of indicators associated with the fire-fighting device, wherein said programmable logic controller outputs the notification to the remote component.

14. A programmable logic controller in accordance with claim 13 , wherein the user-requested parameter of fluid represents a desired liquid pressure at a nozzle in flow communication with the pump, and wherein said programmable logic controller further controls the pump based on the desired liquid pressure.

15. A method of controlling a fire-fighting device including a pump having an inlet coupleable in fluid communication with a remote fluid source and an outlet coupled in fluid communication with a discharge of the fire-fighting device, said method comprising:

measuring, using a pressure sensor, an operating pressure of fluid flow between the remote fluid source and the inlet;

providing a base component in communication with the pump and the pressure sensor, the base component including a programmable logic controller having predefined logic stored thereon; and

automatically controlling, using the base component, operation of the pump based on the predefined logic and the operating pressure of fluid flow between the remote fluid source and the pump measured by the pressure sensor.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the predefined logic includes a pressure threshold, wherein said method further comprises:

comparing the measured operating pressure to the pressure threshold; and

determining that the measured operating pressure is below the pressure threshold, wherein automatically controlling operation of the pump includes reducing a speed of the pump in response to determining that the measured operating pressure is below the pressure threshold.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising:

outputting, from the base component, a notification indicating that the speed of the pump is reduced in response to reducing the speed of the pump;

receiving, at a remote component in communication with the base component, the notification transmitted from the base component; and

outputting, by the remote component, at least one of an audio, vibratory, and visual signal indicating that the speed of the pump is reduced, in response to receiving the communication transmitted from the base component.

18. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising receiving, at a remote component in communication with the base component, a user-requested parameter of fluid including a desired liquid pressure at a nozzle in flow communication with the discharge of the fire-fighting device, wherein automatically controlling operation of the pump includes controlling the pump based on the desired liquid pressure.

19. A method in accordance with claim 15 further comprising receiving, at the base component, a first signal from a first valve communicatively coupled to the base component, the first valve coupled to a source line configured to direct a fluid flow from the remote fluid source to the pump, wherein the first signal indicates an actuation state of the first valve, and wherein automatically controlling operation of the pump includes controlling the pump based on the actuation state of the first valve.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 further comprising:

receiving, at the base component, a second signal from a second valve communicatively coupled to the base component, the second valve coupled to a tank supply line extending between a storage tank of the fire-fighting device and the pump, the second signal indicating an actuation state of the second valve; and

receiving, at the base component, a third signal from a third valve communicatively coupled to the base component, the third valve coupled to a discharge line extending between the outlet and a nozzle, wherein the second signal indicates an actuation state of the second valve and the third signal indicates an actuation state of the third valve, and wherein automatically controlling operation of the pump includes controlling the pump based on the actuation state of the second valve and the actuation state of the third valve.