Preconnects...

[MB1213635]

I'm just curious as to where your department runs its preconnected lines on the engine companies; crosslays or off the rear. Also, which do you prefer and why. I'll start.

My department runs with all of our lines coming off the back of the wagon. I prefer to have my lines coming off the back because they will not block any of the pump panel, thus making the chauffeur's job a little easier. Also, it is a little bit easier to pack lines in the hosebed rather than a crosslay. Finally, you can generally pack more hose in the section of bed for an attack line than you can a crosslay.

[Jake295885]

MB, How come no mention of lines off the front of the wagon? I think the busiest engine, and arguably the best has a 150' & a 100' attack line off the front of all 5 of their hose wagons.

I too like them off the back as opposed to the crosslays, but the front kicks A%$ too.

[MB1213635]

Sorry Jake forgot to mention that. I do like having a line off the front bumper. Unfortunately the current pumper has no front bumper attack line...just a soft sleeve suction.

[ac52]

We run three 1 3/4" (2 - 200' & 1 300') and two 2 1/2" (both 250') in our crosslays with a 100' 1 1/2" trashline in the front bumper and a 3" bombline on the rear bumper. It can be a little hectic if numerous lines ar pulled.

I always liked the 2 1/2" coming off the rear of the truck. It gives you more room to pull it out and doesn't cludder up the pump area. The trashline location is perfect. Easy to pull on tight streets and on a highway the apparatus can provide crew protection.

The idea of placing preconnects on the front bumper is not common in my area, but, I have seen them at shows and publications. It does seem to have some advantages ( ease of pulling and packing, out of pump operator area, etc.) My Dept. will be specing a new piece in the near future and we have already agreed to rethink our preconnect situation. We'll research all the ideas, I'm sure!

[Firelover]

We have 1 3/4" lines coming off the crosslays. I think this is great because if you park on the side of the road, you can take your line of the truck and go to the fire in no time. (this is all on the Engine and ladder truck) On our tanker/pumper, we have it set up to come off the back of the bed.

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Joel

If you sent us to HELL, WE'D PUT IT OUT!!

[bfdzeke]

We have specified your "normal" crosslays on all of our trucks, and we really have not had any problems as of yet (Murphy's Law will take effect right after I post this). We are currently bidding out for two pumpers, and we are shooting for the low shelf crosslays, which are under the top mount pump panel so you don't have to climb eleven feet off the ground to reload them, so that is an interesting twist. We are getting away from the bumper mount preconnect due to budgetary reasons, basically too much money to run the piping (approx. $1500 on the low end). That was against my better judgement, safety wise, but hey, what can you do.Anyway, it's just my opinion. Be safe and enjoy.

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Oh pretty good...

[fire127797]

We have two 1 3/4" crosslays 200' and one crosslayed 1 1/2 trashline 100'. They don't interfere with the pump operator becuase we utilize a top mount pump panel with a fully enclosed cab.

[lumpy649]

Our older E-one pieces carry the following compliments of preconnect attack lines:

100' 1-3/4" TFT on front bumper
2 200' 1-3/4" TFT crosslays
200' 2-1/2" smooth bore blitz line from rear
200' 3" leader line with gated wye from rear

Our new (not yet in service) Pierces carry the identical lines, with the exception of one of the crosslays that will utilize a smooth bore nozzle. Another department here on the east end does utilize rear attack lines, and I do have to admit I like them immensely, for several reasons...

1. Interstate vehicle fires: firefighters can stretch line without pulling a normal crosslay out into traffic. It keeps them on the shoulder or in the affected lanes. It's much safer that way.

2. On our narrow residential streets, the driver is forced to pull past the house for a decent stretch, thereby allowing the incoming truck or tower plenty of operating room where they need it most... RIGHT IN FRONT!

3. The driver has only one place to look to see which lines have been pulled.

I have mentioned this to personnel on our spec committees, but the idea wasn't taken too seriously. Oh well, maybe next time...

[firecat1524]

We have all of the above, crosslays, rear loaded and front bumper hose trays, and they all have their place. In the area we cover we have a lot of narrow driveways, so at times if we went with strictly rear preconnects we would lose 30 ft of hose just to clear the truck. The crosslays are our primary lines, the front bumper line is a short, 150' line mainly used for car fires, etc, and the rear preconnect has a 4' long piercing nozzle on it. There is a spare fog nozzle in the engineer's compartment for the rear line, but we rarely use it. In fact, most of the time we may only use a couple sections of hose off of it to extend other lines.Your comment about the crosslays getting in the way of the engineer are somewhat true, but if you stress to the troops that if at all possible they need to pull from the opposite side, this problem is eliminated. This is one of those thousands of things in the fire service that falls under the "What works for you probably wouldn't work for me" catagory, and there really isn't a right or wrong answer.

[MPreb362]

the crosslays never seem to bother me much. much of the newer eng./quints/ext. are pretty well color coded. if your at or near the pump panel, as any engineer should be during a job, in case of an emergency you can see the lines your working with instead of running around to look at the lines your guys are using. when you need to shut down the blue or red nozzle, you know which one it is. the most important thing is to know your equipment (what lines come from where) and know your discharges. if your guys know that, then i would say it's just a matter of preference and how your eng. is configured to work best for your needs. see ya and stay safe.

[RescueCoFireman]

We have our hose feed from the back. Some pumpers have a trash line in the front. The reason for this is that we do reverse lays from the fire to the hydrant. Often the Chauffer is the only one hooking up to the plug. The engine pulls past the fire building anyway to allow room for the truck companies. It's easier to have the hose feed off the back. Though they aren't preconnected.

GB

[benson911]

Attack lines come off the rear.

1. Out of pump operator's way.
2. Allow engine to drive past the building to see 3 sides and open front for ladder.
3. Easier to load and unload.
4. Allows for easier adding of more hose to extend a line, there's a big load of it next to the preconnect.

[RADFIRE]

We pull off the rear, but have both crosslay beds packed in case a situation occurs. The front bumper has trash lines.
We have 150' of 1 3/4" preattached to gated wye on 3". One port is open to the 1 3/4", but the other is there in case a second line is needed. The "skid load" is shoulder carried to a approximate distance to allow for spreading out and taken to the fire area. Preconnects are rarely used....only if it's a guaranteed short stretch, a small area and we're close enough to back stretch to a hydrant if need be.
Everything is on the discretion of the Captain-in-Charge.

[Inferno]

Don't forget about the blitz line (pre-connect or not!) I would prefer a 200 ft. triple lay of 2 ½. pre-connected in the rear hose bed. Everyone should have a blitz line for when your normal 150 g.p.m. attack line isn't going to cut it. Just remember, its not a blitz line unless it has a smooth bore at the end!!!

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When In Doubt, Blitz it Out!

[SBrooks]

from the truckies perspective...the guys with crosslays just LOVE to park their little red wagons right infront of the sidewalk to the building (garden apartments mostly) usually right where I want to park my big red fire truck. The guys with front/rear lines stop short or pull past, just fine with me.

from the engine troll's perspective...bumper lays, great i can reach them. New crosslays, great i can reach them. Old crosslays, damn, gotta stretch. 500 gwt rear lines, great, i can reach them. 750+ gwt rear lines, damn, better get a step ladder.