Fire Hose

[Chief Sandpaper]

I don't know if I am even in the correct forum for this, But I will give it a shot!

Just trying to get a consensus of what type of firefighting hose you use and your opinion of hose you are using now and have used in the past. Any and all information would be very helpful. Opinions I am looking for our on attack hose and supply!

Thanks for your time and I am looking forward to all of your opinions, comments and concerns!

[SFD1012]

1 3/4' Attack Mixed types with the majority being Ponn Conquest.

5' LDH with storz connections.

We also carry 3" hose for one offs where the 5" cannot be used for whatever reason.

[FyredUp]

Attack Hose: Key 2 inch, Nitrile rubber, with 1 1/2 inch couplings, 100 foot lengths.

Apartment lay, portable deluge gun, and for feeding FDC's: Key 3 inch, Nitrile rubber, with 2 1/2 inch couplings, 100 foot lengths.

Supply: Angus/Snaptite/Key: 5 inch nitrile rubber, with 5 inch Storz couplings, 25, 50, 100 foot lengths


We like it being a volunteer fire department we can hose it off reload it and get back about our lives quicker. We have had no problems with durability or burn through.

[BoxAlarm187]

Attack (1.75"): Ponn Conquest with 1.5" threaded couplings

Attack/Leader Lines (2.5" and 3"): Ponn Conquest with 2.5" threaded couplings

Supply Lines (5" LDH): SnapTite with 5" Storz couplings

Brush Trucks run a variety of 0.75" and 1" hose, including some collapsible forestry hose and some Reeltex hard line.

[GTRider245]

1 3/4' Attack Mixed types with the majority being Ponn Conquest.

5' LDH with storz connections.

We also carry 3" hose for one offs where the 5" cannot be used for whatever reason.

Attack Hose: Key 2 inch, Nitrile rubber, with 1 1/2 inch couplings, 100 foot lengths.

Apartment lay, portable deluge gun, and for feeding FDC's: Key 3 inch, Nitrile rubber, with 2 1/2 inch couplings, 100 foot lengths.

Supply: Angus/Snaptite/Key: 5 inch nitrile rubber, with 5 inch Storz couplings, 25, 50, 100 foot lengths


We like it being a volunteer fire department we can hose it off reload it and get back about our lives quicker. We have had no problems with durability or burn through.

Do you guys not run 2 1/2" attack lines?

We have the low bid Fire Equip. 800 on most of our trucks. It is pretty crappy compared to better brands, but it works. Still stiff as a board after a few years on the trucks.

We have done some expirimenting with Hi-Combat and it is nice. I havn't tried Ponn Conquest but I hear good things about it as well.

[FyredUp]

Do you guys not run 2 1/2" attack lines?

We have done some expirimenting with Hi-Combat and it is nice. I havn't tried Ponn Conquest but I hear good things about it as well.

No we do not run any 2 1/2 inch handlines. We run 2 inch handlines with 200 at 75 psi combo nozzles. We initially underpump them to do 160 gpm at about 55 psi at the nozzle. if that isn't enough we can obviously go up to 200 gpm at 75 psi. If that isn't enough we spin off the fog tip and go to a 1 1/4 inch slug tip and flow around 300 gpm at just over 40 psi at the tip. We do it all with this one size line.

IF 300 gpm isn't enough we go to a 3 inch line with either a Stinger or a RAM on it. And YES, we will take that inside if we need to.

This all started with us facing severe staffing issues duing the day and realizing that clearly the first line can make or break you at many fires we wanted something that would flow the entire range listed above but light enough for 2 FFs to move. 2 Inch was the answer to that question. Both of our engines, and the pumper tanker, are set up with various lengths of 2 inch from 100 to 300 feet. Both have apartment lines with 400 to 500 feet of 3 inch with a gated wye and 100 feet of 2 inch attached.

It has worked out very well for us and I don't see us changing it even though now staffing is no longer an issue.


As for Ponn Conquest...we use that at work on our high rise packs at it is very nice to work with. High flow, even if it kinks the majority of the water still makes it through.

[Nozzle nut 22]

Attack:

1.75" double jacket (various brands) w/ 100psi automatic tips. Smoothbore 15/16" also available.

2.5" double jacket. (various makes) w/break apart playpipes. Both auto tips and smoothbore tips. Smoothbore is usually preconnected. Some non breakapart TFT auto playpipes also used.

2.5" double jacket. leader line finished w/ gated wye. For those long stretches and large apartment/ school buildings etc. We carry 2 "hotel packs" of 100' of 1.75" w/a TFT auto. to use with this line.

Supply:

5" nitrile rubber w/ storz couplings.

3" w/2.5" couplings. in short hydrant rolls. ( normally used in ADDITION to the regular 5" hydrant line.)

At one time, we used 2" attack hose, but phased it out in favor of 1.75". I believe it was for the superior handling characteristics of the smaller size. We still use 2.5" for the bigger flows, and to cut friction loss in longer lays, so the reduced flow is offset by the availability of a bigger line if needed.

We also used to use 3" as a big handline. That stuff was awful to use- heavy, bulky, etc. As a result, it rarely got pulled... (defeating the purpose entirely!)

We were using 100' lead lengths on our attack lines. Eliminated the interior coupling in most cases- meaning less chances for getting hung up on corners, newel posts, etc; less damage to same ; and no leaky coupling spraying water everywhere. Not sure if this is still the case or not.

This array of hose has served us well over the years. The limited number of different sizes makes life much easier for our pump operators- most of whom are volunteer.

A neighboring dept uses both preconnected speedlays, AND reels with appx 300' of 1.75'. 2 per pumper. It's their answer to the need for varying lengths and storage for long lines. Seems to work well for them. It does mean the nozzleman needs to take the time to pull sufficient hose to take with her/him. Not an insurmountable problem, but one that needs to be trained on and emphasized.

Fyredup: How does using a portable monitor in an agressive manor work out for you? I imagine the RAM monitor makes this a lot easier than the Stinger! Esp since that style of appliance has it's own shut off. The TFT Blitzfire has been getting some traction around here. It's light weight and shutoff make it an easily deployed option for a single firefighter.

My personal choice would be to go with a somewhat different layout,
I'd go with 3" for the leader lines, and for use with a lightweight portable monitor. I'd like a nozzle set up similar to yours. ( breakaparts w/low pressure and smoothbore tips, and/or a low or dual pressure auto tip.) Probably with 2" for the long lines as well. I'd also flow test everything, and place a pump chart on every pump to eliminate guesswork and hard math in the heat of combat.

I'd also add a lightweight 1.5" or 1" line for trashline and minor fire duty.

I like the idea of adding a 1" "overhaul" line to the breakapart tip, once the bulk of the fire is out. Reduces the burden on already tired firefighters, it's far more manouverable and can easily be operated by 1 member, and reduces flow- we're only needing to douse smoldering hot spots and minor flare-ups. Best of all- the original line is still in place, charged and ready to go if needed- just remove the 1" coupling.

[slackjawedyokel]

Been using rubber 1" flat hose (hooked to our break apart attack nozzles) for overhaul for the last 12 years. On the end of it is a break apart cordiva nozzle which has a 15 gpm combo tip or a double stack smooth bore tip which has a garden hose thread on the second tip. You can attach a forestry mop up wand (kind of like a mini applicator nozzle) to it for "those hard to reach places" Great for small areas where you really need to control your water.