Best Methods for "Taking 'Up"

[doughesson]

As for the question:

1. Normal handlines and 2 1/2 are broken in 100 foot sections and the water drained by walking them out.

2. In freezing weather, the unused but charged lines are left to flow a small amount to prevent freeze-up.

3. LDH is picked up by a rolling take-up. We center the emtpy hose in the road (or off to one side or the other), and drive along picking it up and packing as we go.

That is how my old volunteer department did it as well.We'd reload the handlines in the Minuteman set up which worked best for us.
In freezing weather,we'd only charge lines as they were being advanced but before entering the structure/fire zone.
We usually backed up to reload the LDH since most of the time,the run in to the structure was too confined for a turn around.Every now and then we'd get tapped out to a truck driver's home and there'd be room in the yard there but not always.
If there was room to turn around,driving forward over the hose saved a lot of heartburn on the driver's part.The radio stayed a lot cleaner and there wasn't as much"NO!Goddlemighty,son!MY LEFT!".
Back at the station,cleaning and replacing hoses,medical gear,refilling the rehab cooler,etc was an all hands evolution.Officers and the Chief and Assistant Chief all pitched in.If someone had to leave to return to work,we didn't hold it against them as next time,it could be us leaving them shorter handed.

[ullrichk]

For LDH on sloping terrain, break the hose at both ends of the lay. Fold the uphill coupling back on the hose to seal that end. Gravity drains the water at the downhill end and forms a vacuum that pulls the hose as flat as if it had been ironed. Reload uphill to downhill so the last bit of water flows out without having to break the vacuum.

[fire0099881]

I prefer the first three methods you described in your post. Although the fourth method sounds good too but I'm from the old school, Lead by example.

or you could tone out 4 times and not get anyone to go and then call the neighboring dept. and let them deal with all the hose!!! heard that happen before as I am sure you have! why they don't call sooner is beyond me.

Hand lines are drained and rolled and taken back to the station and washed then put back on the truck. We have a newer type of nylon I believe it is, not sure what it is called, but you can put it back on the truck wet and it won't mold or mildew.

As for LDH hose we drain it and if we can we will put it off the side of the drive and back down the drive to reload it so we are not backing in the driveway with guys behind the truck. If it's really dirty we will just donut roll it and throw it in the back of someones truck and take it back to the station and wash it, reroll it, and load it. ( I kind of like this method better as it makes sure all the water and air is out of the hose, but does take a little more time)

[dustinlevengood]

we re-load the attack lines in whatever load they were in(some houses use different loads then others, we use a CA minuteman at ST.18 while most others use a regular minuteman) and the LDH we roll on the ground then use a handle from a tool and put it threw the middle and have 2 FF's hold the roll while 2 more load in back in the bed(this way we are back in service before we leave the incident) any broken hoses gets rolled O/S and thrown on top of the bedded hose.

[jonnyirons2]

Wake up and take up, thats the best way!

[PFDTruck18]

I always prefered those change of shift jobs where the oncomming platoon got no work but has to take up.