We have "high" (over the pump) crosslays, and we use triple-layer preconnects in all of them. We've found that it is pretty easy to shoulder-load the top 3-layer loop and pull the line out and down. Our shorter firefighters just climb on the side step to make the pull. The taller firefighters can make the pull from ground level. Our two quints have narrow side steps, but we have secondary steps mounted under the side step. They just pull out and click into place with about 1 or 2 seconds of work. These extend the side step area an additional 18 inches or so - plenty of room to make the pull.
We also use triple-layer loads for our two rear 2.5-inch preconnects. They're fairly high loads, but we use the rear step so pulling them isn't a problem.
We call this load "triple stack", and it's now our standard attack load for everything except the front bumper lines.
Here's a different perspective. We don't have 'hose beds' as are used in North America, we use trays fitted into lockers. This is how we load our initial attack lines in our pumper - this line is 38mm (1.5inch) with a Protek adjustable flow branch (or nozzle in North America). Three 30 metre lengths (around 200 feet), you can see where the branch is placed into a 'holster' ready to grab, with about the first three folds. This is then dragged towards the fire, the pump operator will break the line if needed and attach to an outlet (these are immediately below the locker shown):
This second photo shows our ready use 64mm (2.5 inch) hose in lockers either side of the rear pump panel. These hoses can be used for either attack or hydrant feeds:(The top tray on the far side is another 38mm with a branch attached)
(Isn't it nice of me to provide conversions from metric to Imperial measurement?)
Permalink Reply by FETC on December 26, 2008 at 8:48pm
Thanks for the description. TMI
So if you have a 200' minuteman, can everyone of your department shoulder that much weight from some of the taller trucks? and while you are pretty much walking an extra city lot to flake it off with BOTH tail firefighters, a single firefighter is pulling a "triple pack" (as you call it) It is deployed by ONE firefighter walking only 66' from the truck and his partner is already at the door with tools, the line is charged before you are done flaking out your 200' minuteman...
Don't get me wrong... I actually like the Minuteman, we have minuteman loads as well. Each has a proper deployment for a given incident. We advance it "dry" to the third or an attic fire.
The "sucks" part usually comes from taking the extra time to reload the triple load, but this is done post fire and if it takes extra time and manpower back at the station, then what is the problem? the goal should be to pack a load that is rapidly deployed with minimal effort and manpower needed.
Ted, the dirty white hoses are rubber lined, synthetic jacket (I have a lot of trouble getting people to not call them canvas!), the red are extruded lines. In my present Brigade the red hoses are used for either hydrant feeds or to feed another pumper. Or sometimes for grass fire attack if the fire is out of reach for our 75 metre reel. My old Brigade used them for wildfire blacking-out, in 20mm diameter. Our all career neighbours use the red ones (or equiv.) for attack and supply.
When we use the fabric 38mm (my Brigade's normal attack lines) we give the branch around 700 kPa (about 100psi) so the same as you. The higher pressure use that you've heard about is when we (as well as Europe) use our high pressure reels. For the reels we use anything from say 1500 to 2500kPa (215 to 360 psi). The hoses used on the reels are heavy, they have to be strong, but they are so quick to deploy and can be charged as they are deployed without making things difficult for the hose team. And they don't get kinked or snarled up into spaghetti! The electric rewind is very nice too. :)
We used to have 2 preconnect cross lays one 150 footer and one 200 footer...color coded hoses...But recently went to both being 200 footers...we leave an extra loop toward the top of the lay to indicate which side of the lay the nozzle is on....Paul
You know, reading Tony's comment regarding the hose reels got me to thinking about things "back in the day"...
Years ago we decided to pull the 1 inch rubber "booster" hose off its reel and replace it with 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 inch hose with a TFT. This arrangement worked very well in terms of deployment and making up the "load" after the fire was out. The one problem was that the booster reel was not plumbed for 1 1/2 inch discharge, so we could not obtain full fire flow from the nozzle - particularly the TFT.
If you needed 50 or 100 feet of hose, no problem - just pull hose until the next coupling, break the connection and plug it onto the pump panel. We didn't argue about loops, lays, etc. just hit the button and RRRRRRRWWWW... back onto the reel.
When the inevitible happened, i.e. the line got charged before being pulled, it sucked to be the hose reel... the hose acted like a python and usually the reel had to be repaired. Probably safer than a minuteman, triple, or speed lay coming out of the bed at 170 psi, though.
100' preconnected Trash line on the front bumper. (2" hose with Elkhart combination nozzle)
2 crosslays above the pump panel of 2" hose with elkhart nozzles. (both 200') (flat lay with loops for quick deploy. grab the loops, drop the pile to the ground and walk with the nozzle)
1200' of 4" LDH (supply line)
200' of 5" LDH (for turbo draft)
300' of 3" hose (for turbodraft)