California Wildfires

‘Little fire engines' creator describes homemade water pump that saved home from Palisades Fire

Brushfire Battle Systems' products range from $1,695 to just under $6,000.

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A family who saved their home from the Palisades fire with their pool and a generator-powered sprinkler system has been getting many calls from people interested in the “little fire engines.” Hetty Chang reports for NBC4 at 5 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2025. 

A San Gabriel Valley man who built a water pump that was credited with saving a home from the Palisades Fire is getting inundated with calls and emails from apprehensive homeowners looking to protect their homes from the next time tragedy strikes.

David Whitman of South Pasadena works out of his patio to make water pumps that he likes to call “little fire engines.” He describes them as self-contained sprinkler systems that pump water out of swimming pools and onto properties to help protect them from fires.

Whitman’s tool showcased its full potential when a father and son duo used the pump to protect their Palisades Highlands home from the Palisades Fire. Since then, Whitman’s company, Brushfire Battle Systems, has seen an influx of customers’ requests.

“This is my passion project,” Whitman said. “And it’s turned into a little more than that.”

According to his company’s website, Whitman’s water pumps are “capable of delivering over 90 gallons a minute out 200 feet in diameter.”

A father and son assembled a system consisting of a generator, pump, pool water, hose and sprinklers to save their home from disaster. Hetty Chang reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.

“I’m like, ‘What the hell? Why aren’t people using their pools to fight fire and protect themselves?’ So I started researching high-pressure water pumps, AG irrigation systems,” he said.

His products range from $1,695 to just under $6,000.

“I want to give their house a fighting change,” he said of why he created his machines. “That’s really what it comes down to – put up a fight.”

To learn more about Brushfire Battle Systems, click here.

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