Hoses- Taking care of them so we can take care of business.

[ssabados]

Hoses are our weapon against Fire, and our lifeline when attacking a fire. a Burst hose on the Fireground is no fun and very dangerous.

Since I have joined our Volunteer Dept all of our Hoses have been pressure tested to make sure they are all ok. (Something which had not been done in several years, we are now using the Test methods That NY Fire Department have on there website.) We have recently purchased a significant amount of hose, and have more than our turcks can carry. Here are my Concerns.

1) What are the Best pratcies when careing for Hoses in service as far as cleaning, Maintnence, and Time in service.

2) What is the Best way to store Unsed hosed?

[Chops15]

Don't know that it's the best system out there, but I try to get the guys to wash all the hose after any major scene, and any sections that might be REALLY dirty/oily/whatever, I lay out and give it a thorough wash with the pressure washer. (This also cleans the dickens out of the back parking lot, too) There have been a few older sections that I spent about 45-60 min going over with the power washer. I was amazed at how much dirt and sand came out of the hose.

We also pressure test everything once a year, and have had pretty good luck with keeping up to date on it, and a neighboring dept is kind enough to repair any faulty sections for us.

Chops-15

[ADSNWFLD]

Store the hose on a hose rack. When rolling it for storage don't roll it too tight because the sharp bend at the male coupling can cause premature wear.

As for taking care of it. Keep it clean, we use a zep low foam cleaner in our hose washer, dry the hose in a tower or a mechanical hose drier. One department uses the tower the other the drier and I havent noticed a difference. Some of our hose at both places is well over 20 years old so I guess it doesn't make much difference.

[Vollie4life]

Our problem is sand...you would think our station is in the middle of the desert.
After washing and drying the hose, make sure you brush the dirt and sand off the jacket before you roll it or load it on the truck. Sand and dirt are abrasive and will cut the fibers of the cotton jacket.