Fire Hose Characteristics
Characteristics that are used to describe
Fire Hose
include the
type of construction and the material used, the internal diameter, and the type of couplings used to make connections.
Supply Hose
Transports water from a fire hydrant or other water supply source to an apparatus equipped with a pump located at or near the fire scene.
Attack Hose
Transports water or other agents,at increased pressure from the following sources:
1.Pump-equipped apparatus to a nozzle or nozzles
2.Pump-equipped apparatus to a fire department connection (FDC).
3.From the building standpipe to the point the water is ap
Hose construction
Fire hose must be constructed of the best materials available,used in an appropriate manner, and maintained according to the manufacture's recommendation.
Most common being
Single-jacket,double-jacket,rubber single-jacket and hard-rubber or plastic non-collapsible types.
Hose size:
NFPA 1961
Standard on the fire hose
~Diameter and length are common ways to describe hose size.
Diameter
The size of a fire hose refers to its inside diameter
Length
Both attack and supply fire hose are manufactured in 50 or 100 feet lengths, referred to as a section
Traditional legnth of fire hose in North America is
50 feet
Suction Hose (also,called intake hose)
used to connect the pumper to a hydrant or other water source, are manufactures in minimum lengths specified in NFPA 1901.
NFPA 1901
Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus.
Large
Soft Sleeve Hose
is a minimum
15 feet in length
, has two female or non threaded couplings, and is used to connect the main pumper intake to the pumper connection on the fire hydrant.
not use for drafting because its not rigid enough.
soft sleeve available in in sizes ran
Hard suction hose
Generally constructed in
10 foot
long sections and designed for drafting water from a static water supplies or connecting to a fire hydrant.
Hard-suction is also available in sizes ranging from 2 1/2 to 6 inches.
Types of fire Hose Couplings
NFPA 1963
Standard for fire Hose connections specifies fire hose coupling design and construction.
All threaded couplings must meet the dimension required of..
American National Fire Hose Connection Screw Threads, commonly called National Hose (NH).
Fire Hose couplings are made of
Durable, rust-proof materials that are designed to couple and uncouple quickly and with little effort.
Couplings are catergorized by the way thay are
manufactured
Cast
Cast coupling are very weak and only found on occupant -use fire hose. they often crack if reattachment to the hose attempted.
Extruded
Extruded couplings are usually made of aluminum or aluminum alloy,allowing for their lightweight and high stregnth. they are somewhat stronger than cast couplings
Drop forged
Drop forged couplings are made of brass or other malleable metal and are the strongest and most expensive of three coupling types.
Threadded couplings
one of the oldest design involves the cast or machining of spiral thread into the face of two distinctly different couplings. male and female.
Caution
Connect couplings hand tight to avoid damage to the coupling and gasket.
Shank
The portion of the coupling that serves as a point of attachment to the hose.
Higbee cut (blunt start)
A flattened angle at the end of the threads on the male and female couplings. prevents cross- threading when couplings are connected.
Higbee indicator
on the exterior of the coupling marks where the higbee cut begins.
The rubber gasket located inside the base of the female coupling
ensures a tight fit and reduces the chance of water leaks.
Spanner wrenches
Small tool primary used to tighten used to tighten or loosen hose couplings.
Three types of lugs
Pin, recessed and rocker lugs
Pin lugs
usually found on couplings of old fire hose, resemble small pegs.
They are not commonly ordered with new fire house because of their tendency to catch when hose is dragged over objects or deployed from the hose bed.
Recessed lugs
Booster fire hose normally has couplings with recessed lugs that are simply drilled into the couplings.
Rocker Lugs
Modern threaded couplings have rounded rocker lugs.
The rounded shape of rocker lugs help prevents the hose from catching on objects.
Handles or extended lugs are loctaed..
on the swivel of large intake supply or suction hoses.firefighter can grasp these handles when manually tightening the large coupling that connects the hose pump to the intake valve.
Nonthreaded couplings
Nonthreaded couplings are connected with locks or cams rather than screw threads.
Two types of sexless couplings:
Quarter turn and stroz
Quater turn couplings
has two hook-like lugs on each coupling.
Storz couplings
commonly found on large diameter hose. The locking components consist of grooved lugs and inset rings build into the face of each coupling swivel.
Nonthreaded coupling advantages
READ PAGE 824-825
Nonthreaded coupling disadvantages
Hose can become uncoupled,often suddenly and violently, if a complete connection has not been made.
Read the rest on PAGE 825
Causes and prevention of fire hose damage
Mechanical damage
Thermal damage
Organic damage
chemical damage
corrosion
Age deterioration
Mechanical damage
occurs when contact with an object or surface causes slices,rips, and abrasions on the exterior covering, crushing the coupling, or cracked inner linings.
Recommended practices to prevent mechanical damage
~provide traffic control to prevent vehicles from driving over hose.
Read 825-826
Thermal Damage
Thermal damage can occur when exposure to excess heat or cold temperatures.
Excessive heat exposure or direct flame contact can char. melt, or weaken the outer jacket and dehydrate the ribber lining.
Recommended practices to prevent thermal damage
READ PAGE 826
Cold damage
occurs when water on the inside and/or the outside of fire hose freezes.
Fire departments located in cold temperatures should use a cold- resistance hose designed for use at temperatures down to -65 degree f.
Allow some water to flow through the nozzle to
Guidlines to help prevent hose from freezing
READ PAGE 827
When fire hose becomes frozen to an ice-covered surface, there are three ways to remove it.
1. melt the ice with a steam-generated device
2.chop the hose loose with axes.
3. leave the hose until the weather warms enough to melt the ice.
Guideline for removing frozen hose
If fire house sections can be uncoupled, carefully load then onto a flatbed vehicle and transport them to a location where they can be thawed and protected from damage.
*Perform a service test before placing thawed house back in service to ensure that no
Organic Damage
Mildew and mold are living organisms that can rot natural fibers.
When hose with a woven- jacket of cotton or other natural fiber is stored wet, rot from mold and mildew may weaken the jacket which can lead to ruptures under pressure .
Rubber-jacket hose
Recommended practices to prevent organic damage
Ventilate areas where fire hose is kept, including pumping apparatus hose beds and compartments.
READ PAGE 827-828
Chemical damage
common examples of chemical damage:
~Exposure to petroleum products
~Motor oil
~Gasoline
After exposure to chemicals or chemical vapors..
Hose should be cleaned as soon as it is practical.
Recommended practices
~Place the hose 2-4 feet away from the curb or gutter but not in vehicle traveling lane.
~*Remove hose periodically from the apparatus, wash it with plain water, and dry it.
Corrosion
~Is a chemical process in which a metal is attacked by some substance in its environment and converted to an unwanted compound that gradually weakens or destroys the metal.
~
the most common fire hose couplings metals are brass and aluminum. Each of these
Brass is..
Highly resistant to corrosion.
Aluminum couplings
develop a layer of corrosion(aluminum oxide) that in effect "seals" the metal against further oxidation.
Age Deterioration
If hose is left in an apparatus for a while, the hose can deteriorate and crack because of the sharp folds on the tightly-packed hose load.
~To prevent this hose should be removed and repacked every 6 months if they are not being used
.
~When reloading ho
Care for Fire hose
Always follow the manufacture's instructions and department SOP'S for care and maintenance.
Inspection
According NFPA 1962, hose should be inspected and service tested with in 90 days before being places in service for the first time and a least annually thereafter.
Washing Hose
Hard-rubber booster hose,hard intake hose,and rubber-jacket collapsible hose *only require rinsing with clear water, although a mild soap may be used if necessary.
Woven- jacket
dust and dirt should be brushed or swept off the hose. If brushing and sweeping does not remove the dirt, wash with clear water while scrubbing with a stiff brush.
The most common type of washes almost any size of fire hose up to..
3 inches.
The hoseline that supplies the washer with water can be connected to a pumper or used directly from the hydrant.
Drying hose
~Fire hose should be dried before stored.
~Hose should be dried according to department Sops and manufactures recommendations.
~Woven-jacket must be thoroughly dried before being reloaded.
~Hard rubber booster hose, hard intake hose, and synthetic-jacket
Hose appliances and Tools
Hose appliances: are devices the route water in a variety of ways and make different types of hose connections.
Hose tools: are devices that assist with movement, handling,protection and connection of hose.
Hose appliances water flow through but not tools
Hose Appliances
is any piece of hardware used in conjunction with fire hose fore the purpose of controlling the flow or water and creating a variety of pathways for water through hose layouts.
Common hose appilances include
Valves and valve devices, fittings and intake strainers.
Valves
The following valves in hoselinesn at hydrantsn and at pumpers are used to control the flow of water:
Ball valves
Gate Valves
Butterfly valves
Clapper valves
Ball valves
Used in pumper discharge and gated wyes.
Open when handles is in line with the hose and closed when it is in a right angle to the hose.
Ball valves are used in fire pumping systems.
Gate Valves
Are used to control the flow from the hydrant
Gate valve have a baffle that is lowered into the path of the water by turning a screw-type handle.
Butterfly Valves
Used on large pump intakes and incorporates a flat baffle that turns 90 degrees.
Clapper valves
used in Siamese appliances and FDC to allow water to flow in one direction only.
The clapper is a flat disk hinged at the top or one side which swings open and closed like a door.
Valve devices
Valve devices allow the number of hoseline operating on the fire ground to be increased or decreased.
Include:
Wye
siamese
water theif
Large-diameter
hydrant valves
Wye appliances
used to divide a single hoseline into two or more lines.
"why two males"
valve-controlled by outlets are called gated wyes.
Ball valves are usually used in gated wyes.
2 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch outlets.
for high volume operations,LDH inlet and two 2 1/2 ou
Siamese appiances
~supplies multiple lines into one
~permit multiple supply hoselines to be layed parallel to supply a pumper or high-output device.
~Two females inlet with one male outlet
~Clapper valves are used to control the flow of the inlet streams into a single outl
Water Theif appliances
~Similar to wyes appliance
~There is an inlet and outlet of matching size combines with smaller outlets that "steal" water from the main line.
Large volume water thief's appliances consist of LDH inlet and two or more 2 1/2 inch valve-controlled male outl
Large diameter hose appliances (LDH)
Used when a large volume of water near the end of the main supply line.
Typically consist of LDH inlet with 2 1/2 valve-controlled male outlets.
can be called: portable hydrants,Phantom pumpers, large diameters distributors.
Hydrant Valves
used when a forward lay is made from a low-pressure hydrant on the fire scene.
Read page 839 hydrant valves 4 main functions.
Fittings
used to connect hose of different diameters and thread types or to protect couplings on standpipes and on apparatus intakes and outlets.
Two main types: adapters and reducers
Adapters
is a fitting for connecting hose couplings with smaller threads and the same diameter.
"double male and double female
Reducers
They are used to connect a smaller-diameter hoseline to the end of a large one.
Intake Strainers
~Are devices attached to the drafting end of a hard-suction hose when pumping from a static water source.
~They are designed to keep debris from entering the apparatus or portable tank.
Hose tools
are used to protect, move, handle,store, and connect hose.
Look at page 840 for hose tools
Hose Roller
Used to protect hose from mechanical damage of dragging hose over sharp corners such as roof edges and windowsills.
Hose jacket
~is placed when a hoseline ruptures but must remain charged to continue fore attack.
~Made of two sizes of 2 1/2 inches and 3 inches.
~Hose jacket can also be used to connect hose with mismatched or damaged screw-thread couplings.
Hose clamp
can be used to stop the water flow in a hoseline.
3 types pf hose clamps:Screw-down,Press-down,and hydraulic.
General rules for applying hose clamps
20 feet behind the apparatus
5 feet from the coupling on the supply side.
Read page 841
Spanner, Hydrant Wrench, and Rubber Mallet
Most common tools used to tighten or loosen hose couplings are the Spanner, Hydrant Wrench, and Rubber Mallet.
Spanner wrench primary purpose is to tighten and loosen couplings
Hydrant wrench
Primarily used to remove discharge caps from the hydrant outlets and to open fire hydrant valves.
Rubber mallet
Is sometimes used to strike the lugs to tighten or loosen intake hose couplings.
Hose Bridge or Ramp
Hose bridge or ramps help prevent damage to fire hose when vehicles must drive over it.
Hose ramps can be positioned over small spills to keep hoselines from being contaminated,and they cab be used as chafing blocks.
Chafing Block
Charged hoseline vibrate and run against other surfaces which can cause abrasions. Chafing blocks are used to protect fire hose from these abrasions.
Hose straps, Hose rope and Hose Chain
Are used to carry,pull,or handle charged hoselines
Hose Rolls
Straight roll
Donut roll
Twin Donut Roll
Self-locking twin donut roll
Straight Roll
~The single-section straight roll is the simplest of all hose roll.
~male towards the female
Straight Roll commonly used for
~storing in a hose rack
~transporting damaged or dirty hose to the station for repair, replacement or cleaning.
~Carrying spare sections of hose in apparatus compartments
~Making hose loading easier
Donut roll
Is commonly used in situations where hose is likely to be developed for directly from a roll.
Donut roll advantages
~The firefighter has control of both couplings
~The hose rolls out eaiser with fewer kinks
~Both couplings enables a quicker connection to other coulings
Twin Donut Roll
~Works best on 1 1/2 inch and 1 3/4 hose.
~Purpose of this hose roll is to create a compact roll that can be easily transported and carried for special applications such as high rise or standpipe operations.
Self-locking twin donut roll
is a twin donut roll with a built in caring loop formed from the hose itself.
Basic Hose loads and Finishes
NFPA 1901 Standard for Automotive Fire Apparatus, list the minimum quantity of hose on various size to be carried on a pumper or engine.
There must be a minimum of
800 ft of 2 1/2 inch or larger fire
supply hose.
400 feet of of 1 1/2 inch, 1 3/4 inch or 2
Supply and attack hose are usually carries in an open compartment called...
Hpse bed
Three most common loads for supply hoselines
Flat,accordion, and horseshoe load.
Finish
An additional section connected to the hose load and arranged on the top of the load, which can be rapidly deployed forward or reverse hose lays or as a attack line.
Flat
~Flat load is the easiest to load.
~Suitable for any size supply hose
~Best way to load large-diameter hose.
~Hose load for a LDH should be started 12 to 18 inches from the front of the hose bed.
Accordin load
~The hose is laid on the edge on folds that lie adjacent to each other.
~First coupling is placed in the rear of the bed. In a single compartment it is placed in either corner.
~Is the easiest to load, only required two or three people to load but four pe
Horseshoe load
~It is loaded on the edge, but in this case the hose is laid in a U-shaped configuration around the perimeter of the hose bed working toward the center.
~Primary advantage is that it has fewer sharp bends in the hose than the according or flat.
~Does not
Combination Load
are used with split hose beds that are loaded with threaded-couplings hose. This load permits the apparatus to make forward lay from the water source to the fire followed by reverse lay back to the water source.
Hose Load Finishes
Hose load finishes are added to the basic hose load to increase the versatility of the load.
Normally loaded to provide enough hose to connect the hoselines to a hydrant and to provide an attack hoseline at the fire scene.
Two categories:
Forward hose lay
Straight Finish
Consist of the last section of hose arranged loosely back and forth across the top of the hose load.
Reverse Horseshoe Finish
The bottom of the U portion of the horseshoe is at the rear of the hose bed.
Skid Load Finish
Consist of folding the last three sections into a compact bundle on top of the rest of the load.
The load begins by forming three or more pull loops that extend beyond the end of the hose load.
The rest of the hose, with nozzle attached, is accordion-fold
High Rise Pack
Are assembles to provide enough attack hose for firefighters to operate a standpipe connection and still be light enough for one person to carry.
Hose Load Guidelines
Remove kinks and twist from fire hose when it is bent to form a loop in the hose bed.
Read page 852
Dutchman
Extra fold placed along the legnth of a section of hose as it is loaded so that its coupling rests on the proper position.
1. It changes the directions of the couplings
2. Changes the location of the couplings
Preconnected Hose loads for Attack Lines
Preconnects, are primary lines most fires departments use for attack.
Range from 50 - 250 feet.
Preconnect Flat Load
is adaptable for varying sizes of hose beds and is often transverse beds.
Tripple Layer
~Load begins with hose folded in three layers.
~Three folds are laid into the bed in an S-shaped fashion.
~Load id designed to be pulled by one person.
Mimuteman Load
Pulled and advanced by one person
Can be carried on the shoulder,completely clear of the ground.
The load deploys from the shoulder as the firefighter advances toward the fire.
Particularly well-suited for narrow hose bed.
Boster Hose Reels
are rubber-covered hose that are usually carried and coiled on reels.
Mounted above the pump panel and behind the apparatus cab.
Supply Hose Lays
Three basic: Forward lay, reverse lay and combination lay.
Guidlines when laying hose
~Do not ride in a standing position when the apparatus id moving
~Drive no faster than 10 mph- the slower the speed allows couplings to clean the tailboard as the hose leaves the bed.
~Deploy hose to one side of the roadway.
Forward lay
Deployed from the water source to the incident.
The first coupling to come off in a forward lay should be the female.
Primary advantage is that the pumper can remain at the incident so it hose,equipment, and tools are readily available.
Reverse Lay
When the pumper must go first to the fire scene before laying a supply line.
The first coupling to come off is a male.
Note
If a hard intake is marked VACUUM USE ONLY, do not use it for hydrant connections. This type of hard intake is for drafting only.
Combination Lay
Refers to the number of ways to lay multiple supply hose with a single engine.
The hose must be loaded into the hose bed in two separate hose bed compartments.
Deploying Preconnected Hoselines
Flat loads may be deploy to either side or from the rear of the apparatus.
The minuteman load
is intended to be deployed without dragging the hose on the ground.
Triple layer load
involves placing the nozzle and the fold of the firefighters shoulder and walking away from the apparatus toward the fire.
Deploying Other Hoselines
Remove the wye and enough hose to supply the smaller attack lines connected or to be connected to the wye. Kneel on the supply hose to anchor it as the driver/operator drives the apparatus slowly toward the water source.
Advancing Hoselines
Hoselines can be deployes more easily before thay are charged becuase water add weight.
It is unsafe to enter a burning building with an uncharged hose line
Advancing a Charged Hoseline
The working line drag is one of the quickest and easiest ways to advance a charged hoseline at ground level.
Advancing a Hose into a structure
~Before advancing be alert for potential dangers.
~The uncharged hoseline is advanced to the designated point of entry.
Guidelines for advancing a hoseline
~Bleed air from the hoseline as it is being charged and before entering the building of fire area.
~Position the nozzle operator and all members of the hose on the same side of the hoseline.
Read page 862-863
Advancing a house Up and Down a Stairway
~When conditions allow hoseline should be advanced uncharged.
~shoulder carry works well for stairway advancement.
~Minuteman load and carry is excellent
~When advancing up a stairway lay hose against the outside wall to keep the stairs clear as possible
Advancing a house Up and Down a Stairway
~when it is necessary to advance a charged hoseline up a stairway, excess hose should be deployed on the stairs toward the floor above the fire floor.
Advancing Hose from a standpipe
~Regardless of how hose is brought up, fire crews normally stop one floor below the fire floor and connect the attack hoselines to the standpipe.
~If the standpipe connection is in an enclosed stairway, it is acceptable to connect to the fire floor.
Improvising a standpipe
standpipes should be in buildings with three floors and higher.
Two methods for improvising standpipe: interior stair ways stretch and the outside stretch.
Interior stairway stretch
The interior stairway stretch is a labor-intensive task used in stairways that have an open shaft.
Hose rolls or bundles ban be carried up the stairs, secured to a handrail and the end lowered to the point where another section is attached to it.
Advancing Hose Up a Ladder
Advancing a hose uncharged up a ladder is the easiest and safest way.