Fire Hose Characteristics
Supply Hose: Transports water from a water supply source to a pump apparatus.
Attack Hose: Transports water at increased pressure from a pump or standpipe to a nozzle or FDC.
Hose Construction
Most common: Single-jacket, Double-jacket, Rubber single-jacket, Hard-rubber or plastic noncollapsible types.
Hose Sizes
NFPA 1961: Standard on Fire Hose.
Diameter: The internal diameter should not be less than the labeled size of the hose.
Length: Attack and supply hoses are manufactured in 50 or 100 feet lengths, Suction hose (Used to connect the pumper to a water source,
Types of Fire Hose Couplings
NFPA 1963: Standard for Fire Hose Connections.
All hose must meet dimensions of American National Fire Hose Connection Screw Threads.
Three Categories: Cast (Very weak and found only on occupant-use fire hose.), Extruded (Aluminum allowing for light weigh
Causes and Prevention of Fire Hose Damage
Mechanical Damage: Abrasions, cuts, and tears, Use hose ramps or bridges, Open and close nozzles slowly, Provide chafing blocks, Change position of folds when reloading.
Thermal Damage: Exposure to fire, high heat, or freezing temperatures, Use moderate t
Inspection, Care and Maintenance of Fire Hose
Can significantly extend the working life of fire hose.
Inspection
Should be inspected and service-tested within 90 days before being placed in service for the first time and at least annually thereafter.
Need to be inspected after each use (post-incident inspection).
Washing Hose
Hard-rubber booster hose, hard intake hose, and rubber-jacket collapsible hose only require rinsing with clear water.
Dust and dirt should be thoroughly brushed.
Oil should be washed with a mild soap or detergent with common scrub brushes or straw brooms.
Drying Hose
Woven-jacket hose must be thoroughly dried before being reloaded.
Hard-rubber booster hose, hard intake hose, and synthetic-jacket collapsible hose may be placed back on the apparatus while wet.
Storing Hose
Never store solvents, petroleum products, or other chemicals close to fire hose and couplings.
Do not store in direct sunlight.
Pack cotton hose loosely.
Roll the hose with the male end inside the roll to protect the threads.
Care of Fire Hose Couplings
Inspect gasket and replace if cracked or creased.
The swivel should be submerged in warm soapy water and moved forward and backward.
Male threads should be cleaned with a stiff brush.
Graphite or silicone lubricants maintain the swivels so they spin freel
Hose Appliances and Tools
Used in conduction with hose and nozzle to complete hose layouts.
Hose Appliances
Any piece of hardware used for controlling the flow of water and creating pathways for water through hose layouts.
Valves
Ball Valves: Used in pumper discharges and gated wyes, Open when the handle is inline with the hose, Closed when it is at a right angle to the hose.
Gate Valves: Used to control the flow from a hydrant, Have a baffle that is lowered into the path of the w
Valve Devices
Wye Appliances: Divide a single hose line into two or more lines, Single female inlet and multiple male outlets.
Siamese Appliances: Combines multiple lines into one line, Two female inlets, a clapper valve, and a single male outlet.
Water Thief Appliance
Fittings
Adapter: Allow two male couplings or two female couplings of the same diameter and thread type to be connected, Connect a sexless coupling to a threaded outlet on a hydrant.
Reducers: Connect a smaller-diameter hose line to the end of a larger one.
Elbows
Intake Strainers
Attached to the drafting end of a hard-suction hose to keep debris from entering the pump. Must not rest at the bottom of a static water source.
Hose Tools
Used to protect, move, handle, store, and connect hose.
Hose Roller
Protects hose from mechanical damage by dragging hose over sharp corners such. Can also be used for hoisting with ropes.
Hose Jacket
Can be installed at the point of a rupture to keep the hose line charged.
Hose Clamp
Stop the flow of water in a hose line.
Three Types: Screw-down, Press-down, Hydraulic Press
General Rules: Apply at least 20 feet behind the apparatus, Apply approximately 5 feet from the coupling on the supply side, Close and open slowly to avoid water h
Spanner, Hydrant Wrench, and Rubber Mallet
Spanner Wrench: Tighten or loosen couplings, Wedge for prying, Opening for gas utility valves, Slot for pulling nails, Flat surface for hammering.
Hydrant Wrench: Remove discharge caps and open hydrant valves.
Rubber Mallet: Used to strike the lugs to tig
Hose Bridge or Ramp
Prevent damage to hose when vehicles must drive over it.
Chafing Block
Protect hose from abrasions caused by vibrations and rubbing against surfaces.
Hose Strap, Hose Rope, and Hose Chain
Used to carry, pull, or handle charged hose lines or secure hose to ladders and other fixed objects.
LDH Roller for Loading
A wider version of the hose roller mounted temporarily on the tailboard of the pumper to assist in loading LDH.
Hose Rolls
Care must be taken to protect the couplings
Straight Roll
The simplest hose roll.
Start at the male coupling and roll toward the female coupling.
Ends with the female end exposed and the male end protected in the center.
Roll with the male end on the outside to indicate that it must be repaired or tested.
Donut Roll
Used where hose is likely to be deployed for use directly from a roll.
Ends with the center of the hose in the middle and both couplings on the outside.
The firefighter has control of both couplings.
Rolls out easier with few twists or kinks.
Twin Donut Roll
Creates a compact roll that can be easily transported and carried for high-rise or standpipe operations.
If the couplings are offset by 1 foot at the beginning, they can be coupled together after the roll is tied.
A hose strap inserted into the center is
Self-Locking Twin Donut Roll
Twin donut roll with a built-in carrying loop formed from the hose itself.
Basic Hose Loads and Finishes
NFPA 1901 lists the minimum quantity of hose to be carried on a pumper, 800 feet of 2.5" or larger supply hose, 400 feet of 1.5"-2" attack hose.
Hose is carried in open compartments called hose beds.
Flat Load
Easiest to load, Best way to load LDH.
Less subject to wear from apparatus vibrations.
Hose folds contain sharp bends at both ends of the bed.
In a single hose bed, the load may start on either side.
In a split hose bed, lay the first length against the p
Accordion Load
The hose is load on edge in folds that lie adjacent to each other.
The first coupling is placed in the rear of the bed.
Firefighters can easily pick up a number of folds and place them on one shoulder to carry from the bed.
Horseshoe Load
The hose is laid in a U-shaped configuration around the perimeter of the hose bed working toward the center.
Has fewer sharp bends in the hose.
Can result in wear on hose edges.
Does not work for LDH.
Combination Load
Used with split hose beds.
Permits the apparatus to make a forward lay from the water source to the fire followed by a reverse lay back to the water source.
Half of the bed is loaded wight the female exposed and the other has the male exposed.
Gives the g
Hose Load Finishes
Added to the basic load to provide enough hose to connect to a hydrant and to provide an attack line.
Forward Lay Finishes: Straight finish, Facilitate making a hydrant connection.
Reverse Lay Finishes: Reverse horseshoe and skid load, Provide an adequate
Straight Finish
The last section of hose arranged loosely back and forth across the top of the load.
Hose tools are usually strapped near the female end.
Reverse Horseshoe Finish
The bottom of the U portion is at the rear of the hose bed.
Is made of one or two 100-foot sections of hose each connected to one side of a gated wye.
Skid Load Finish
Form three or more pull loops that extend beyond the end of the load.
The rest of the hose with nozzle attached is accordion-folded across the pull loops.
High-Rise Pack
Assembled to provide enough attack hose for firefighters to operate from a standpipe and still be light enough for one person to carry.
Hose Loading Guidelines
Check gasket and swivel before connecting any coupling.
Tighten the couplings hand tight.
Make a short fold or reverse bend (Dutchman), so that couplings are not too close to the from for rear of the bed.
Dutchman: Changes the direction of a coupling, Cha
Preconnected Hose Loads for Attack Lines
Preconnects: Primary lines used for fire attack, Connected to a discharge valve and placed in an area other than the main hose bed, Must be completely deployed from the bed before charged.
Preconnected Flat Load
Similar to flat load for supply hose except that exposed loops are provided for pulling the load from the bed.
Triple Layer Load
Begins with hose folded in three layers and then laid into the bed in an S-shaped fashion.
Designed to be pulled by one person.
Minuteman Load
Designed to be pulled and advanced by one person.
Can be carried on the shoulder completely clear of the ground which makes it less likely to catch on obstacles.
Booster Hose Reels
Rubber-covered hose pre connected and coiled on reels mounted on the apparatus.
Not appropriate for interior firefighting or vehicle fires because they do not deliver a sufficient volume of eater to protect firefighters.
Supply Hose Lays
Do not ride in a standing position when the apparatus is moving.
Drive no faster than 10 mph.
Deploy the hose to one side of the roadway so that other apparatus do not drive over it.
Forward Lay
Hose is deployed from the water source to the incident.
Pumper can remain at the incident scene so its hose and tools are readily available.
Making the Hydrant Connection: Hydrant catcher must remove enough hose to reach the hydrant and wrap around it.
Us
Reverse Lay
Deployed from the incident scene to the water source.
Most expedient way to lay hose if the apparatus that lays the hose must stay at the water source to draft or boost pressure.
Combination Lay
Any number of ways to lay multiple supply hose with a single engine.
Handling Hoselines
May be loaded pre connected or simply placed unconnected.
Deploying Preconnected Hoselines
Flat Load: May deploy to either side or from the rear of the apparatus, Grasp the hose loop in one hand and the nozzle in the other, pull the hose from the compartment, and walk toward the fire.
Minuteman: Unfold from the top of the stack carried on the s
Deploying Other Hoselines
May require the addition of an adapter to mate the coupling with the nozzle or an FDC.
Advancing Hoselines
Charging hose lines adds weight and pressure making it difficult to maneuver.
Advancing a Charged Hoseline
A working line drag is one of the quickest and easiest ways at ground level.
Advancing Hose into a Structure
Must be alert for potential dangers such as backdraft, flashover, and structural collapse.
Bleed air before entering the building or fire area.
Position all members of the hose team on the same side of the hose line.
Check for heat using the back of your
Advancing Up and Down a Stairway
Excess hose should be deployed on the stairs toward the floor above the fire floor when advancing up stairs.
Lay the hose against the outside wall to keep stairs clear.
When advancing down stairs, deploy excess hose in a hallway or room adjacent to the st
Advancing Hose from a Standpipe
Most common is hose bundles that are easily carried on the shoulder or in specially designed hose packs complete with nozzles, fittings, and tools.
Fire crews normally connect to standpipes one floor below the fire floor.
Extra hose should be deployed up
Improvising a Standpipe
Interior Stairway Stretch: Used in stairways that have an open shaft or stairwell in the center, An uncharged hose line is suspended in the middle of the stairs and secured to hand rails for support.
Outside Stretch: Used for lower floors, Hoisted up the
Advancing Hose Up a Ladder
Advance uncharged if possible, Do not exceed the rated weight capacity of the ladder, Aerial platforms can be used as portable standpipes for advancing a hose line onto a floor.
Operating Attack Hoselines
There should always be a minimum of 2 firefighters on an attack hose line.
Backup firefighters stand 3 feet behind the nozzle operator.
Extending a Section of Hose
Requires a hose clamp, spanner wrench, and additional hose rolls.
Controlling a Loose Hoseline
Closing a valve at the pump or hydrant is the safest way.
Apply a hose clamp at a stationary point.
Put a kink in the hose away from the break.
Replacing Burst Sections
Two additional sections of hose should be used to replace any one bad section.
Service Testing Fire Hose
NFPA 1962: Standard for the Inspection, Care, and Use of Fire Hose, Couplings, and Nozzles and the Service Testing of Fire Hose.
Performed annually, after repairs have been made, and after a vehicle has run over the hose.
Test Site Preparation
In a paved area with enough room to lay the hose in straight lines free of kinks, bends or twists.
Service Test Procedure
Use specially designed hose test gate valve that have a 0.25" hole to prevent whipping if a rupture occurs.
Test lengths of hose should not exceed 300 feet.