What advantage do in-line relay valves provide in relay operations?

In-line relay valves provide a significant advantage by allowing late-arriving pumpers to connect to the water supply without disrupting ongoing operations. This is crucial in a relay operation scenario where maintaining a continuous flow of water is essential for effective firefighting efforts.

When a fire truck arrives at a scene and begins to pump water, it establishes a water supply line that needs to be maintained. If additional pumpers arrive later, they can use in-line relay valves to tap into this existing supply line seamlessly. This means that they can contribute to the water supply immediately, boosting the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the firefighting operation. The interruption of water flow would hinder the firefighting efforts, which is why this feature offered by in-line relay valves is invaluable.

Minimizing water usage, reducing overall response time, and increasing pump pressure are important considerations in firefighting operations, but they do not specifically relate to the unique function of in-line relay valves that enables coordinated water delivery from multiple sources.