Hose over the shoulder

[chrisdurkin44]

I have seen a few nozzlemen prefer to place the hose over their shoulders and work the nozzle from there when fighting vehicle or brush fires. They claim it makes the nozzle easier to manage (less back pressure) from the hose over the shoulder position. Personally, I prefer to keep the nozzle under my shoulder. I really don't see a huge difference, maybe I'm missing something.

Any thoughts on this?

[backsteprescue123]

I have seen a few nozzlemen prefer to place the hose over their shoulders and work the nozzle from there when fighting vehicle or brush fires. They claim it makes the nozzle easier to manage (less back pressure) from the hose over the shoulder position. Personally, I prefer to keep the nozzle under my shoulder. I really don't see a huge difference, maybe I'm missing something.

Any thoughts on this?

I have been taught that it is eaiser for grassfires. Car fires I use it when you have majority of the fire out and are getting hot spots and/or flare ups. IT eaiser to hit spots down in the passenger compartment from above rather than horizontally. I think this is also why it is used in brushfires, but, I really have no idea.

[TrainingNut]

It's mostly a positional thing.

It makes sense to throw a line over your shoulder and crack the nozzle if you have a small hot spot in a vehicle that is low in the passenger compartment.

For brush, the over-the-shoulder position helps to get the water to "dig" into the soil, rather than skim on top of it.

[FFFRED]

The nozzle needs to be directed to many different areas during a fire and the back-up man should adjust the hose to make the Nozzle mans job of directing the stream easier. If he wants to aim up...the back up man should lower the hose down...if the nozzle needs to point down...the hose should be hoisted up high and supported from there.

FTM-PTB

[SPFDRum]

The only real reason I toss the line over my shoulder is to make a point on the line for it to bend. Allowing me to point the nozzle down, especially for cars, dumpsters, ground rubish, etc.
Usually for us, if we are first in on a vehicle, usually just 1 man is on the line and the other will try and pop the hood, or cut it for access.
On structures, the 2nd man on the line will aid in directing the nozzle, much like Fred statted.

[VinnieB]

I have seen a few nozzlemen prefer to place the hose over their shoulders and work the nozzle from there when fighting vehicle or brush fires. They claim it makes the nozzle easier to manage (less back pressure) from the hose over the shoulder position. Personally, I prefer to keep the nozzle under my shoulder. I really don't see a huge difference, maybe I'm missing something.

Any thoughts on this?

How much PSI is required to put out a Car or Brush/rubbish fire? Not much at all. Some areas can be reached better by putting it over your shoulder...especially for the vertically challenged folks There is not such thing as a constant in the Fire service its all dynamic...so we need to change with the situation.

[nyckftbl]

How much PSI is required to put out a Car or Brush/rubbish fire? Not much at all. Some areas can be reached better by putting it over your shoulder...especially for the vertically challenged folks There is not such thing as a constant in the Fire service its all dynamic...so we need to change with the situation.

Im beginning to think its just a certain house in the North Bronx that is vertically challenged.....

[VinnieB]

Im beginning to think its just a certain house in the North Bronx that is vertically challenged.....

Hey...its the Senior Officers Rule....NO ONE taller then him in the Engine. The truck has all the monsters. Some of those guys get nose bleeds from being so tall.

[FD2019]

Some drivers think that you don't have enough pressure in the line until the nozzleman has both feet in the air.