GlueBall,
Partially agreed; dry running of pumps is not a clever idea.
But: You can also prevent dry running of pumps when they are located inside a transfer/reserve tank. Routing of the attached plumbing is the trick.
Furthermore, you can build pumps and the pump canisters explosion proof. Today´s pumps can run dry extensively, and you can even throw tons of debris into them - you won´t see an ignition source. Yet, if there would be one, flame traps would prevent propagation.
Finally, thermal fuses are installed to prevent overheating of the pump.
I probably forgot some devices; nevertheless: Future fuel systems should be pretty safe!
Cheers,
J.V.