Engine 8- Stretching and Operating Hoselines

Question 1

More lives are saved at fire operations by________than by all other life saving techniques available to firefighting forces

Answer 1

PROPER POSITIONING AND OPERATING OF HOSELINES

Question 2

FIRST HOSELINE?

Answer 2

between fire and persons endangered by it

• primary means of egress
• allows occupants to evacuate
• allows members to search

Question 3

Exception to FIRST line up the INTERIOR STAIRS is ?

Answer 3

FLAME (not smoke) issuing from windows opening onto the fire escape and endangering occupants trying to come down fire escape

In this case:

• FIRST LINE OPERATED FROM STREET to protect fire escape
• 2ND LINE promptly stretched to building

note: if there is NO LIFE HAZARD, first line is positioned between the fire and the MOST SEVER EXPOSURE

Question 4

Most sever exposure does NOT necessarily mean fire likely to spread…

Answer 4

lines MUST be stretched to protect LIFE FIRST….then GREATEST AMOUNT OF PROPERTY

Question 5

When placing line to protect exterior exposure?

Answer 5

place it so stream can be used ALTERNATELY between operating on the exposure and the fire

Question 6

ENGINE COMPANY officer shall_____when the INITIAL HOSELINE ATTACK is to commence?

Answer 6

ANNOUNCE VIA HT

Question 7

BEFORE utilizing FIRE ESCAPE to conduct a fire attack into an apartment:

Answer 7

Members in the apartment must EXIT to a safe area of refuge and the apartment door MUST BE CLOSED

-another tactic is to enter ADJOINING APARTMENT through breached wall

Question 8

Hoseline shall NOT be operated in opposition of each other

Answer 8

When hoseline is determined to be ineffective…IC must be notified

Question 9

FIRST ATTACK LINE required services of ?

Answer 9

FIRST 2 ENGINE COMPANIES
-unless presence of CONFIRMED LIFE HAZARD requires IMMEDIATE stretching of 2nd line…2ND ENGINE SHALL AUGMENT AND ASSIST FIRST LINE

Officers of 1st and 2nd engine companies shall communicate with each other and IC

Question 10

in ONE or TWO story structures , where the amount of hose required is 4 LENGTHS or less, the need to assist on the first hoseline is NOT as great ….OFFICER of SECOND ENGINE should?

Answer 10

CONTACT OFFICER of FIRST ENGine and ascertain if their assistance is required

Question 11

General rule for ESTIMATING stretch:

Answer 11

1 LENGTH per FLOOR+ 1 LENGTH for FIRE FLOOR

Ex.5 story NLT, fire on the 4th floor would require 5 LENGTHS (4 (floors)+1(fire floor)= 5 LENGTHS

Question 12

For larger MD’s …

Answer 12

consider DISTANCE from BACKSTEP to ENTRANCE DOOR…and Entrance door to bae of stairway

-the BUILDING FRONTAGE can be used to help estimate…example OLT 20-25 feet wide

Question 13

If necessary for hoseline to cross street, LINEs should be crossed ?

Answer 13

IN FRONT of fire building

Question 14

What dictates how far from front of building the ENGINE back step should initially be on arrival, before backstretching?

Answer 14

LADDER TURNTABLE

exception:WIDE streets

Question 15

Least desirable position is one that requires stretching ?

Answer 15

AROUND the APPARATUS …case where engine stops before reaching fire building …difficult and time consuming, BUT SOMETIMES UNAVOIDABLE

Engine and Ladder Chauffeurs must communicate

Question 16

What is the MOST valuable asset to nozzle team advancing under heavy fire/smoke conditions?

Answer 16

knowledge of FLOOR LAYOUT

• if smoke is not banked down, quick glance at floor level before opening nozzle can give indication of floor layout
• once line is opened, any visibility will be lost until adequate ventilation

Question 17

LINE MUST BE BLED BEFORE fire attack begins

Answer 17

NEVER enter fire area without charged line

• all members shall operate on same side of line
• stream operated “ OUT FRONT AND OVERHEAD”…deflected off ceiling and upper walls…ARMS LENGTH

Question 18

DO NOT open on smoke…

Answer 18

get as close as safely practical

• listen to sound of stream as you sweep nozzle across room or area…doors, windows..partitions
• floor should be swept.

Question 19

WELL HOLE STRETCH:

Answer 19

-5 STORY requires about 1 length of hose
-ENGINE OFFICER , should communicate well hole presence, ASAP(look up hole, see if goes up ENTIRE stairway…some do not)
-Nozzle FF(2 options, depending on size and configuration of well hole)
A. Narrow well hole-nozze ff DROPS folds at base of stairway and GRASPS NOZZLE
B. Wide well- nozzle FF carries nozzle and LEAD length in well
-when sufficient line is pulled up, LINE MUST be secured with HOSE STRAP
-BU FF will initially feed line to nozzle, then proceed up stair pulling line up well hole
-CONTROL fF will remain at base of stairway, until notify by Officer that sufficient hose has been stretched
Note: * when a 2nd line is stretched up a well hole, the NOZZLE FF should carry ONLY THE NOZZLE AND CHANGE HANDS at each newel post (TURN) as line is stretched …utility rope can be used if well hole is large enough

Question 20

Fire Escape stretch:

Answer 20

• sufficient hose stretched and arranged below balcony
• hose can be hoisted with UTILITY ROPE or 6 FOOT HOOK…(if rope is used, NOZZLE ff proceeds to the FLOOR BELOW the fire)…CONTROL FF remains at ground level to secure rope to the hose..once sufficient line is hoisted and charged, control man can ascend fire escape

if 6 foot hook is used: CONTROL FF will INVERT HOOK and place the HANDLE of the controlling nozzle onto the hook…other members ascend and position themselves on successive balconies..handle passed one member to another …once the handle is passed, each member proceeds up the fire escape to another level, until line is hoisted

line MUST be secured on alternating floors, starting with FLOOR BELOW FIRE

Question 21

UTILITY ROPE stretch:

Answer 21

• Engine carry 75 feet of 3/8” NYLON rope to be used for quick efficient stretch to upper floors or roofs, this rope can be used to haul line :
• roofs of low buildings, taxpayers, 3 story frames, brownstone
• vacant buildings, interior stairs missing
• staircase winding around elevator (H TYPES)
• fires requiring 3 lines, with interior stairs already having 2 lines
• when CIDS or previous knowledge indicates its use
• NON standpipe project buildings

Question 22

Utility rope stretch viA STAIR SHAFT WINDOW in buildings with STAIRS THAT WRAP AROUND an elevator:

Answer 22

• fire 3RD FLOOR or above
• Officer proceeds to FLOOR below with rope , selects window to be used, and communicates info to CONTROL ff..rope deployed from this window
• sufficient hose brought into lobby and folds arranged near the window selected…NOZZLE FF attaches the ROPE TO NOZZLE, places nozzle outside window, then proceeds to FLOOR BELOW the fire
• BU will join nozzle fF when relieved by CONTROL FF
• CONTROL FF MUST REMAIN AT WINDOW until enough line is hOISTED to ensure that line does not get hung up …once line is CHARGED, control ff will check for kinks and join the nozzle team

Question 23

Before deploying UTILITY ROPE:

Answer 23

-look at window for obstructions (AC units, clotheslines, overhangs, setbacks)

at LOWER FLOOR WINDOW, lower TOP SASH, grab rope and tie to nozzle

-hinged windows open outward..may have to be closed

if difficulty is encountered raising window, remove glass from sash