CHAPTER

10

FIRE HOSE
AND
APPLIANCES

Copyright 2000. Delmar is a division of Thomson Learning.

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Objectives

1 of 4

Identify and explain the construction of fire hose.

Demonstrate the care and maintenance of fire hose.
Identify the types of hose couplings and threads.
Demonstrate the care and maintenance of hose
couplings.

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Objectives

2 of 4

Identify and explain the use of hose tools and

appliances.
Demonstrate the coupling and uncoupling of fire hose.
Demonstrate the rolling, carrying, and loading of fire
hose.
Demonstrate the advancing of fire hoselines, both
charged and uncharged.

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10

Objectives

3 of 4

Demonstrate the establishment of a water supply

connection.
Demonstrate the extending of hoselines.
Demonstrate the replacement of burst hose sections.
Demonstrate the procedures for laying hoselines for
water supply.

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Objectives 4 of 4
Demonstrate the deployment of master stream
devices.
Demonstrate the service testing of hose.

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Introduction

1 of 2

Hose is the tool used to move water.

Firefighters must know how to store hose on the
apparatus and how to deploy it.
Fire hose is a flexible conduit used to move water, or
other agent, from a source to the fire.
Couplings, adapters, and appliances are used to
connect hose.

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Introduction

2 of 2

Today, many departments use National Standard Hose

Threads.
Other departments use adapters to make connections
to standard threaded couplings.
Adapter and appliances have been created or made
lighter to make firefighting easier.

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Construction of Fire Hose

Fire hose has two components:
Hose.
Couplings.
Three types of hose construction:
Wrapped.
Braided.
Woven.

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Construction of Fire Hose

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Hose is divided into the following categories:

Attack.
Supply.
Hard suction.
Occupant use.
Forestry.

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Construction of Fire Hose

3 of 4

Booster lines have a limited flow rate of up to 30 gpm.

Attack hose is connected to nozzles and distributors, and
various appliances.
Attack hose is usually service tested at 250 psi.
Medium diameter hose is 212 - 3
Supply hose (LDH) is 312 -5 and pressure should not
exceed 185 psi.

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Construction of Fire Hose

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Hard suction hose is rubber or plastic coated hose with

a plastic wire or helix.
Soft suction hose (soft sleeve), is woven hose.
Occupant use hose is used in standpipe systems.
Forestry hose is specially designed for use in wildland
firefighting.

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Woven and Rubber-Coated Fire Hose

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Care and Maintenance of Fire Hose

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Care begins with proper placing and folding.

Hose bed should allow for circulation of air.
Hose should be dried before folding.
Newer synthetic hose can be loaded wet.
Avoid laying hose over sharp or rough corners.
Do not allow traffic to run over hose.

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Care and Maintenance of Fire Hose

2 of 3

Clean dirt and grit from hose.

Avoid heat, embers, chemicals, gasoline, and oil.
Prevent hose from freezing.
Any damaged hose should be service tested prior to
being returned to service.
Excessive water pressure and slamming a valve open
or shut will damage a hose.

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Care and Maintenance of Fire Hose

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Hose should be rinsed and dried prior to being paced

back in service.
Stored hose also requires maintenance.
Care also involves regular inspection.
Outer cover and couplings should be checked for
damage as it is reloaded.

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Types of Hose Couplings

Couplings allow hose and appliances to be joined.
Couplings are divided into two types.
Threaded
Non-threaded
Threaded couplings use a screw thread.
Non-threaded couplings use locks or cams.

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Types of Hose couplings

Threaded couplings have male threads and female
threads.

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Threaded Couplings
Fire hoses have blunt
end threads.
Both male and female
ends have Higbee cuts
and indicators.

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Non-Threaded Couplings

Use locks or cams to secure connection.

Couplings are aligned and twisted to lock.
Storz couplings are the most popular.
Some couplings use handles or lugs.
Rocker lugs are the most common.
Handles are typically used on hard and soft sleeves.

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Storz Coupling

Quarter-turn coupling

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Care and Maintenance of Couplings

Hose coupling maintenance involves keeping them
clean and preventing mechanical damage.
Proper storage, rolling, and coupling placement is
important.
Couplings should never be dragged.
Hose couplings should be inspected every time hose is
reloaded.

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Hose Tools and Appliances

Hose tools help move or operate hoselines.
Appliances are devices that water flows through,
including adapters and connectors.
Tools include rope hose tools, wrenches, rollers, hose
clamps and other items.
Various types of valves are also used to control water
flow and distribution.

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Tools & Appliances

Rope hose tool

Spanner wrench
Hydrant wrench
Hose roller
Hose clamp
Hose jacket
Hose bridge
Hose cart
Double couplings

Increaser/reducer
Gate valve
Intake relief valve
Wye
Siamese
Hydrant valve
Strainer
Distributor pipe
Hose cap

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Hose Tools

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Hose Appliances

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Coupling and Uncoupling Hose

Coupling
Foot-tilt
Over-the-hip
Two-person method

Uncoupling
Spanner wenches
Knee-press
Stiff-arm

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Coupling

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Uncoupling

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Hose Rolls
Hose is rolled for storage or to have it ready for use.
Several Options:
Straight/storage hose roll.
Single-donut roll.
Twin or double donut roll.

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Donut Rolls

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Hose Carries
Drain and carry method.
Shoulder loop carry.
Hose/street drag.

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Hose Loads

Dutchman
Accordion
Flat load
Horseshoe load
Straight finish load

Reverse horseshoe
Minuteman
Triple-layer
Modified Gasner bar
pack

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Advancing Hoselines
Into structures.
Up and down stairs.
Using a standpipe system.
Working hose off a ladder.

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Establishing a Water Supply Line

Several methods exist for establishing a water supply
depending on:
Type of water source.
Hydrant style.
Hose lays used.
Pumper use at water source.

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Extending Hoselines
Firefighters should be familiar with techniques used to
extend hoselines.
The preferred method is the use of a break-apart
nozzle.
The other method is the use of a hose clamp.
Clamp must be used carefully and cautiously.

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Extending Hoselines

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Replacing Sections of Burst Line

Bursting of a hose section is very dangerous.
It can cause personal injury and additional property
damage.
Hoseline must be shut down to remove the section
replaced.

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Hose Lay Procedures

Supply lines and the hose beds on apparatus are
designed to use one of three lays:
Forward lay.
Reverse lay.
Split lay.

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Forward Lay

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Reverse Lay

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Split Lay

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Deploying Master Stream Devices

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Water applicators capable of flowing over 350 gallons of

water per minute.
A wagon pipe is a permanently mounted stream device.
A deluge set is not permanently mounted.
A monitor type device is a permanently mounted master
stream device with a prepiped waterway on an aerial
ladder or platform.

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Deploying Master Stream Devices

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A ladder pipe is a non-permanently mounted device

needing a hoseline.
Master stream devices are rigged and then charged.
For every foot of vertical reach needed the device is
moved one foot away.(Solid stream tip.)

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Deploying Master Stream Devices

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For horizontal reach, each pound of pressure equals 1

foot of reach.
Maximum reach is usually 3 floors.
A wagon pipe is a permanently mounted device.
The monitor pipe has a direct discharge.
Deluge set on top of an engine may be prepiped.

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Deploying Master Stream Devices

4 of 4

When using a deluge on the ground, intakes should be

facing the fire building.
A ladder pipe needs a hoseline for rigging it up a
ladder and another for supply.

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Service Testing of Fire Hose

1 of 2

Fire hose is tested prior to being placed in use and

then retested annually.
A record keeping system must be used.
Testing begins with a visual inspection.
Check for thread damage.
Check couplings
Service testing involves testing hose under pressure.

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Service Testing of Fire Hose

2 of 2

Pressure testing is designed to check for hose failure.

A hose test valve is placed on the discharge pump to limit
flow rate of the water.
Hoselines are attached to the pumping device and
pressure tested.
No more than 300 feet of hose should be tested at once.
Follow local SOPs for testing.

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WRAP-UP
Fire hose, adapters, and appliances allow firefighters to
move water.
It is important to know how to use the various appliances
and tools.
Appliances and tools provide firefighters greater abilities
to facilitate fire suppression.
Proper techniques of connecting, advancing, and
operating tools must be understood.