Handy billy was/is a common emergency portable pump that was placed aboard most US Navy ships since WWI. Formally designated “P50”, because it pumped 50 gallons per minute, was gasoline-powered and could be used to fight fires or during flooding conditions, in conjunction with other pumps on the ship. It was especially valuable when the ship lost electrical power and normal pumping ability was lost. On smaller ships, it was a critical piece of equipment and could be easily transported from place to place by two strong crew members, one at each end, as it weighed 160 pounds during WWII.