Poor Hoseline Pressure - But Why

Replies to This Discussion

PermalinkReply byDaryl LigginsonOctober 9, 2008 at 10:53pm

Training, training and when you think you have it right do it again. This will leave the nozzle member with a memory of what a properly charged line should feel like. If the pressure is not right it will be quickly recognized when the line is "Flowed prior to entering the fire area". You noticed I said "Flowed" and not "Bled" because you need to see if the line has sufficient pressure. Also overcrowding the nozzle team can lead to poor nozzle pressure because those members trying to get a piece of the action in the fire area are not doing their job of removing kinks, flaking out the line, notifying members of a burst length or advancing the line. Many of these problems exist far behind the nozzle team. This brings us to the second engine company. Many fire departments are not running with enough members on the engine to do the job quickly, efficiently and safely. The members of the second due engine need to ensure the fires line is properly stretched, flaked and operating. This may also include establishing a water supply. If the second engine company is not helping with that first line you increase the likely hood of having a line that is not flaked out properly and resulting in poor nozzle pressure.
For an example read a NIOSH report out of the city of Cincinnati where an improperly stretched and flaked out line contributed to a LODD and a tragic story for that fire department. A result, as I was told, was to place a focus on the first line prior to stretching a second line.

PermalinkReply byBrenda TenneyonOctober 11, 2008 at 4:20pm

Do and lot of training ,and check those hoseline out very often. I mean very...In our dept,if we have poor pressure,it means trouble,a new line is ordered..During the week ,someone always is checking out,all trucks and hose lines,tools and so on.