Essentials of Fire Fighting,

1

• Essentials of Fire Fighting,
• 5th Edition

Chapter 13 Fire Hose Firefighter II
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Chapter 13 Lesson Goal

• After completing this lesson, the student shall
  be able to use various hose appliances and tools,
  prepare a test site for service testing, and
  service test fire hose following the policies and
  procedures set forth by the authority having
  jurisdiction.

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Specific Objectives

• 1. Describe the characteristics of hose
  appliances and tools.
• 2. Explain service testing fire hose.
• 3. Discuss test site preparation for service
  testing fire hose.

(Continued)
4
Specific Objectives

• 4. List equipment necessary to service test fire
  hose.
• 5. Explain the service test procedure.
• 6. Service test fire hose. (Skill Sheet 13-II-1)

5
Hose Appliances

• Any piece of hardware used with fire hose to
  deliver water

(Continued)
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Hose Appliances

• Valves
• Control flow of water in hoselines, at hydrants,
  at pumpers
• Ball valves
• Gate valves
• Butterfly valves
• Clapper valves

(Continued)
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Hose Appliances

• Valve devices
• Allow number of hoselines operating on fire
  ground to be increased/decreased
• Wye appliances
• Siamese appliances

(Continued)
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Hose Appliances

• Valve devices
• Water thief appliances
• Large-diameter hose appliances
• Hydrant valves

(Continued)
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DISCUSSION QUESTION

• What are some other names for hydrant valves?

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Hose Appliances

• Fittings

(Continued)
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Hose Appliances

• Intake strainers
• Devices attached to drafting end of hard intake
  to keep debris from entering fire pump
• Guidelines for use

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Hose Tools

• Hose roller
• Prevents damage to hose that can occur when
  dragged over sharp corners such as roof edges,
  windowsills

(Continued)
13
Hose Tools

• Hose roller
• Consists of metal frame with two or more rollers
• Can be used for protecting rope from similar
  edges

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hose jacket
• Can be installed on ruptured section of hoseline
  to temporarily close rupture

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hose jacket
• Consists of hinged two-piece metal cylinder
• Made in two sizes
• Encloses hose so can operate at full power
• Can be used to connect mismatched hose

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hose clamp
• Can be used to stop flow of water in hoseline

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hose clamp
• Three types Screw-down, press-down, hydraulic
  press
• Can injure firefighters/damage hose
• Several general rules for use

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Spanner
• Used to tighten/loosen couplings
• May have other built-in features

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hydrant wrench
• Used to remove caps from hydrant outlets, open
  hydrant valves
• Equipped with pentagonal opening fitting most
  standard hydrant operating nuts
• May be equipped with spanner

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Rubber mallet Strike lugs to tighten/loosen
  couplings
• Hose bridge/ramp
• Help prevent damage to hose
• Should be used where hose laid across street

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hose bridge/ramp
• Can be positioned over small spills
• Can be used as chafing blocks

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Chafing blocks
• Used to protect fire hose where subjected to
  rubbing from vibrations
• Useful where intake hose comes in contact with
  pavement
• May be wood, leather, old truck tires

(Continued)
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Hose Tools

• Hose strap, hose rope, hose chain
• Used to carry, pull fire hose
• Provide more secure means to handle pressurized
  hose when applying water

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Acceptance Testing Hose

• Performed by manufacturer before hose shipped
• Relatively rigorous
• Subjects hose to pressures much higher than
  anticipated in field
• Should not be attempted by fire department
  personnel

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Service Testing Hose

• Performed periodically to ensure hose still
  capable of performing as required
• Should be performed according to NFPA 1962
  guidelines
• May be done by private contractors/fire
  department personnel

(Continued)
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Service Testing Hose

• Should be done after being repaired, after being
  run over by vehicle
• Before testing, examine for
• Excessive wear/damage to jacket
• Coupling damage
• Missing gaskets

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Preparing Site for Service Testing

• Hose should be tested in paved or grassy area or
  level ground
• Site should be protected from vehicular traffic

(Continued)
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Preparing Site for Service Testing

• If nighttime, area should be well lit
• Test area should be smooth, free from rock,
  debris
• Slight grade to facilitate draining of water
  helpful
• Water source should be sufficient for filling hose

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Equipment Needed to Service Test Hose

• Hose testing machine, portable pump, fire
  department pumper equipped with gauges certified
  as accurate
• Hose test gate valve
• Means of recording hose numbers, test results

(Continued)
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Equipment Needed to Service Test Hose

• Tags/other means to identify sections that fail
• Nozzles with shutoff valves
• Means of marking each length with year of test

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Service Test Procedure

• Exercise care when working with hose
• Use specially designed hose test gate valve to
  prevent hose rupture

(Continued)
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DISCUSSION QUESTION

• What protective gear should be worn when
  operating pressurized hose?

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Service Test Procedure

• When using fire department pumper, connect hose
  to discharges on side of apparatus opposite pump
  panel
• Close all valves slowly to prevent water hammer
• Test lengths of hose should not exceed 300 feet
  (100 m)

(Continued)
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Service Test Procedure

• Laying large-diameter hose flat on ground before
  charging helps prevent unnecessary wear at edges
• Stand away from discharge valve connection when
  charging

(Continued)
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Service Test Procedure

• Keep hose testing area as dry as possible when
  filling, discharging air from hose
• During testing, this air aids in detecting minor
  leaks around couplings

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Summary

• To fight fires safely and effectively,
  firefighters must know the capabilities and
  limitations of the various types of fire hose and
  the various kinds of hose appliances that will be
  used on the fireground.

(Continued)
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Summary

• Firefighters must also know how to maintain and
  test fire hose.

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Review Questions

• 1. What are the following valves used for ball
  valves, gate valves, butterfly valves, and
  clapper valves?
• 2. What are wye appliances and siamese
  appliances?
• 3. What is a hose clamp used for?

(Continued)
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Review Questions

• 4. What are the two types of tests for fire
  hose?
• 5. What equipment is needed to service test hose?