IFSTA CH 13 Fire Hose Operations Flashcards
fire hydrants
most dependable source of water
can provide a consistent volume of water under constant pressure
Failures or reduction is water supply or pressure from hydrants can result from:
Damage hydrant valves and connections
Broken water mains
Greater demand than the system can provide
Hydrants located on dead-end water mains
Closed isolation valves
Restricted mains
Pipes or hydrants that are frozen
Hydrant discharge outlets are considered standard if they contain the following two components:
At least one large outlet often referred to as the pumper outlet nozzle* or steamer connection*
Two hose outlets nozzles for 65mm couplings
Dry-barrel hydrants
Designed for use in climates with freezing temperatures, the main control valve of the dry-valve hydrant is located at the base or foot of the hydrant below the frost line and it has an isolated valve on the distribution line
Wet-barrel hydrants
Have water in the hydrant at all times
These hydrants are usually installed in climates without prolonged periods of subfreezing weather
When a hydrant is taken out-of-service, the water department or fire department should take the following actions:
Place “out-of-service” tags or device on the hydrant
Notify fire station personnel within the response district
Notify hydrant repair personnel
reasons for a hydrant to be out-of-service:
Damage to the hydrant, water system piping or pump that support that location
Repairs or upgrades being performed on the water system
Obstructions placed within the hydrant
A frozen hydrant during extreme cold temperatures
fire hydrant connection tools
spanner wrenches
hydrant wrenches
rubber mallet
gate valves
hydrant valves
hydrant valves has four main functions
Allow additional hose lines to be laid to the hydrant
Connect a supply pumper to the hydrant
Boost the pressure in the original supply line without interrupting the flow of water in the line
Allow the original supply line to be connected to the hydrant and charged before the arrival of another pumper at the hydrant
personnel should operate and inspect hydrants at least
once a year to verify reliable function and address repairs needed
two common water supply operations
water shuttle operations
relay pumping
static water sources
lakes
ponds
rivers
swimming pools
large above ground animal watering tanks
portable water tanks
intake strainders
are attached to the drafting end of a hard-suction hose when pumping from a static water source
they are designed to keep debris from entering the apparatus or portable pump
water shuttle operations
Involve hauling water from a supply source to the incident scene
The water is then transferred to an attack pumpers tank or to portable tanks from which water may be drawn to fight a fire
three key components to water shuttle operations
dump site at the fire
fill site at the water source
mobile water supply apparatus to haul water from the fill site to the dump site
two types of portable water tanks
One is collapsible or folding style that uses a square metal frame and a synthetic or canvas duck liner
Round, self-supporting synthetic tank with a floating collar that rises as the tank is filled
portable tank should be positioned
in a location that allows easy access from multiple directions but does not inhibit access of other apparatus to the fire scene
four basic methods to unload mobile water supply apparatus include
Gravity dumping through large dump valves
Jet-assist dumps that increase the flow rate
Apparatus-mounted pumps that off-load the water
Combination of these methods
hose deployment tools
Hose deployment tools assist with the movement, handling, protection and connecting of hose
hose bridge or ramp
prevent damage to fire hose when vehicles must drive over it
chafing block
charged hose line vibrate and rub against other surfaces which can cause abrasions
chafing block protect hose from these abrasions
hose appliance
any hardware used with fire hose to control the flow of water and create pathways for water through hose layouts
hose appliance - valves
ball
butterfly
clapper
gate
ball valves
used in pumper discharge and gated wyes
butterfly valves
used on large pump intakes and incorporates a flat baffle that turns 90 degrees
clapper valves
used in Siamese appliances and fire department connections to allow water flow in one direction only
clapper valves prevent
water from flowing out of unused ports when one intake hose is connected and charged before adding more hose
gate valves
used to control the flow from a hydrant
wye appliances
divide a single hose line into two or more lines
Have a single female inlet and multiple male outlet connections
siamese appliances
combines multiple lines into one line
These appliances permit supply hose lines to be laid parallel to supply a pumper or high-output device
water thief appliances
water thief resembles a wye appliance however there is an inlet and outlet of matching size combined with smaller outlets that “steal” water from the main line
fittings
Connect hoses and outlets of different diameters and thread types
They also protect the couplings on standpipes and on apparatus intakes and outlets
two main types of fittings
adapters
reducers
adapters
is a fitting that connects hose couplings with similar threads and the same inside diameter
Double-male and double-female
reducers
they are used to connect smaller-diameter hose line to the end of a larger one
Forward lay
Hose is deployed from the water source to the incident
Primary advantage of a forward lay
is that a pumper can remain at the incident scene so its hose, equipment and tools are readily available if needed
reverse lay
When a pumper must go to the fire location before laying a supply line, a reverse hose lay should be deployed from the incident scene to the water source
Deploying a reverse hose lay can delay the initial fire attack
Personnel must remove tools and equipment, including attack hose, from the apparatus and place them at the fire scene before the apparatus proceeds to the water source
Advancing Hose into a Structure
A firefighter may need to remain at each corner or doorway to help guide the hose line into the structure
Advancing hose up and down stairways
Lay the uncharged hose against the outside wall to keep the stairs as clear as possible and avoid sharp bends and kinks in the hose
When advancing a charge hose line up a stairway, excess hose should be deployed on the stairs toward the floor above the fire floor
Standpipe operations
Hose must be carried to the fire floor over an aerial ladder or up an interior stairway
Crews normally stop one floor below the fire floor and connect the attach hose line to the standpipe
If the standpipe is in an enclosed stairway, it is acceptable to connect on the fire floor
Following factors affect the hose stream:
Velocity of the water/extinguishing agent
Gravity
Wind direction and velocity
Air friction
Operating pressure
Nozzle design and adjustment
Condition of the nozzle opening
A smooth bore nozzle produces
a tightly-packed solid stream of water
an adjustable pattern spray nozzle produces
fog or straight stream
At 212 degrees Fahrenheit water expands
to approximately 1700 times its original volume as it turns to steam
two general categories of hose stream nozzles
straight tip nozzles (smooth bore)
Spray nozzles (fog nozzles)
straight tip nozzles (smooth bore)
Have a straight, smooth tip and produce a solid hose stream
straight tip nozzles (smooth bore) characteristics
Operate at low nozzle pressure
Are less prone to clogging with debris
Can be used to apply compressed-air foam
May allow hose lines to kink due to less pressure
Do not allow for selection of different stream patterns
velocity of the stream is a result of nozzle pressure
Spray nozzles (fog nozzles)
Can create straight stream, narrow-angle fog and wide-angle fog patterns
Automatic or manual discharge rate
Spray nozzles (fog nozzles) characteristics
Adjustable discharge patterns
Can provide protection to firefighters with a wide fog pattern
Can be used for a variety of applications
Offer a variety of nozzle choices and manufacturing options
Can be used to apply certain types of foam
types of fog nozzles
basic
constant gallonage
constant pressure (automatic)
constant/select gallonage
basic fog nozzle
an adjustable-pattern fog nozzle in which the rated discharge is delivered at a designated nozzle pressure and nozzle setting
Constant gallonage fog nozzle
an adjustable-pattern fog nozzle that discharges at a constant discharge rate throughout the range of patterns from straight stream to a wide fog at a designed nozzle pressure
Constant pressure (automatic) fog nozzle
an adjustable-pattern fog nozzle in which the pressure remains relatively constant through a range of discharge rates
Constant/select gallonage fog nozzle
a constant discharge rate fog nozzle with a feature that allows manual adjustment of the orifice to effect a predetermined discharge rate while the nozzle is flowing
Automatic fog nozzles for handlines are designed for the following flow rates:
Low flow such as 10 gpm (40L/min) to 125 gpm (500L/min)
Mid-range flows such as 70 gpm (280L/min) to 200 gpm (500L/min)
High flows such as 70 gpm (280L/min) to 350 gpm (400L/min)
Both categories of nozzles as well as the broken-stream delivery devices perform three main functions:
Controlling water flow
Creating reach
Shaping the hose stream
Broken-stream Delivery Devices
Can be used to extinguish fires in concealed spaces in basements, chimneys, attics or other types of concealed spaces
These nozzles are designed to produce broken stream
piercing nozzles
Can be used to pierce materials in order to access fires in concealed spaces
cellar nozzles
Consists of a rotating head with outlets that distribute water in a circular pattern
two commonly used cellar nozzles are
Bresnan distributor
Rockwood cellar pipe
nozzles should be inspected
after each use and at least annually to ensure that they work properly
nozzle control valves
enable the operator to start, stop, increase or decrease the flow of water while controlling the nozzle
three main type of nozzle control valves
ball valve
side valve
rotary valve
ball valve
provides effective nozzle control with little effort
side valve
control seats a movable cylinder against a shaped cone to turn off the flow of water
side valve advantage
nozzle operator controls the operating flow and resulting nozzle reaction, as a result side valves do not cause turbulence
rotary control valve
found only on rotary control fog nozzles
hose stream patterns described according to size and type
Size refers to the volume or quantity of water flowing from the nozzle per minute
Type indicates the specific pattern or shape of the water after it leaves the nozzle
low-volume stream
discharge less than 40gpm
handline stream
flows from 40-350gpm
master stream
discharges more than 350gpm
major types of hose stream patterns
solid
fog
straight
broken
solid stream
Is a hose stream produced from a fixed orifice, smooth bore nozzle
Smooth bore nozzles produce a stream as compact as possible with little shower or spray
Can also penetrate and saturate burning materials or debris
Fog stream
Is a fine spray composed of tiny water droplets which form to expose the maximum water surface for heat absorption
Fog streams have the following characteristics:
Can be adjusted to suit the situation
Can be used for hydraulic ventilation
Can be used for vapor dispersion
Can be used for crew protection
Expose the maximum water surface for heat absorption
May be used to cool the hot fire gas layer as well as hot surfaces
Have shorter reach or penetration than solid or straight hose streams
Can be more affected by wind
May disturb thermal layering in a room if applied incorrectly
May intensify the fire by pushing fresh air into the fire area if used incorrectly
straight stream
Is a semisolid stream produced by a fog nozzle
Characteristics are similar to those of a solid stream
broken stream
Is a hose stream that has been broken into coarsely divided water droplets
This stream is used to extinguish fires in attics, cocklofts, basements and other confined spaces
hose stream limiting factors
gravity
velocity loss
water droplet friction with air (drag)
wind
Assigning one firefighter to operate an attack hose line only occurs when combating a:
Small ground cover fire
Vehicle fire
Rekindle during overhaul operations
Rubbish or trash fire
Fire in out buildings or sheds
Two-firefighting method for small hose line operations
Two firefighters are the minimum number required for handling any attack line during interior structural operations
The nozzle operator holds the nozzle with one hand and holds the hose just behind the nozzle, the backup firefighter takes a position on the same side of the hose about 3 feet behind the nozzle operator
Operating Large Attack Hose Lines
During exposure protection or overhaul operations, one firefighter may be assigned to operate a large hose line if a master stream device is not available
Except for limited lateral motion, this method does not permit very much maneuvering of the nozzle
Water hammer
When the nozzle is closed suddenly, a shock wave is produced when the moving water reaches the closed nozzle and stops with great force
Operating Master Stream Devices
Master streams are usually deployed when the fire is beyond the effectiveness of handlines or there is a need for hose streams in areas that are unsafe for firefighters
Must be shut down before it can be relocated
When water is flowing, at least one firefighter should be stationed at the master stream device unless the device is being used in a hazardous position
