1. Responding on the Fire Ground

2. Knowledge Objectives (1 of 3)
Describe securing a water source after arriving on scene.
Describe the driver/operator’s responsibility with proper hose layouts.
Describe cab procedures when positioning the fire apparatus at the fire ground.
Describe the driver/operator’s responsibilities prior to exiting the cab of the fire apparatus.

3. Knowledge Objectives (2 of 3)
Describe the driver/operator’s responsibilities after exiting the fire apparatus.
Describe the driver/operator’s responsibility to make connections to a fire department sprinkler and/or standpipe connection.
Describe the driver/operator’s role in troubleshooting problems on scene with the fire apparatus or its equipment.

4. Knowledge Objectives (3 of 3)
Describe the driver/operator’s role in the safe operation of the pump.

5. Skills Objectives (1 of 2)
Assemble a hose line from a hydrant to a pump.
Inspect a solid-stream nozzle.
Inspect a fog nozzle.
Engage the fire pump.
Hand-lay a supply line.
Connect a hose to a fire department connection (FDC).

6. Skills Objectives (2 of 2)
Perform a changeover operation.
Operate an auxiliary cooling system.
Disengage the fire pump.

7. Fire Hose, Appliances, and Nozzles Overview (1 of 3)
Functions of fire hose
Supply hose (supply line) delivers water from static source or hydrant to attack pumper
Attack hose (attack line) discharges water from attack pumper onto fire

8. Fire Hose, Appliances, and Nozzles Overview (2 of 3)

9. Fire Hose, Appliances, and Nozzles Overview (3 of 3)

10. Sizes of Hose (1 of 4) Hose diameter ranges: 1”–6” (25–152 mm)
Nominal hose size
Smaller-diameter hose used as attack lines
Larger-diameter hose used as supply lines
Medium-diameter hose used as attack or supply lines
Small-diameter hose (SDH) diameter ranges: 1”–2” (25–51 mm)

11. Sizes of Hose (2 of 4)
© Samuel Acosta/ShutterStock, Inc.

12. Sizes of Hose (3 of 4)
Hose used most often to attack interior residential structure fires is 1½” (38 mm) or 1¾” (45 mm)
Medium-diameter hose (MDH) has diameter of 2½” (64 mm) or 3” (76 mm)
Large-diameter hose (LDH) has diameter of 3½+” (89+ mm)

13. Sizes of Hose (4 of 4)

14. Attack Hose (1 of 2) Designed for fire suppression
Most departments use two sizes as attack lines for fire suppression.
1½” (38 mm) and 1¾” (45 mm) attack hose
Primary attack lines for most fires
Amount of water through hose is the primary difference

15. Attack Hose (2 of 2) 2½” (64 mm) attack hose Booster hose
Used as attack line for fires too large to be controlled by 1½” (38 mm) and 1¾” (45 mm) line
Higher flows achieved with higher pressures and larger nozzles
Booster hose
Carried on a reel
Limited flow

16. Supply Hose (1 of 4)
Delivers water to attack pumper from pressurized source
Hydrant or other engine in relay operation
Engines are loaded with at least one hose that can be a supply line.
2½” (64 mm) hose used as supply line comprises the same hose type used for attack lines.

17. Supply Hose (2 of 4)
Large-diameter supply lines are more efficient than 2½” (64 mm) hose for moving larger volumes of water over longer distances.
Soft suction hose connects the pumper directly to a large streamer outlet on the hydrant.
Hard suction hose drafts water from a static source.

18. Supply Hose (3 of 4)

19. Supply Hose (4 of 4)

20. Fire Hose Appliances (1 of 7)
Devices used with fire hose for delivering water
Driver/operator should understand the purpose of each and be able to use each correctly.
Wyes split one hose stream into two.
Water thief is similar to a gated wye with additional 2½” (64 mm) outlet.
Siamese connection combines two lines into one.

21. Fire Hose Appliances (2 of 7)
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company

22. Fire Hose Appliances (3 of 7)
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company

23. Fire Hose Appliances (4 of 7)
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company

24. Fire Hose Appliances (5 of 7)
Adapters connect hose couplings with the same diameter but dissimilar threads.
Reducers attach SDH to LDH.
Hose jacket is placed over a section of hose to stop a leak.
Hose clamp temporarily stops water flow in a hose line.
Valves control water flow in a pipe or hose line.

25. Fire Hose Appliances (6 of 7)
© 2003, Berta A. Daniels

26. Fire Hose Appliances (7 of 7)
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company

27. Nozzles (1 of 6)
Nozzles attach to the discharge end of attack lines to give fire streams shape and direction.
Low-volume nozzles flow 40 GPM (150 L/min) or less.
Handline nozzles used on hose lines are 1½”–2½” (38–64 mm) in diameter
Master stream nozzles are used on deck guns, portable monitors, and ladder pipes that flow.
350+ GPM (1325+ L/min)

28. Nozzles (2 of 6)
Low-volume and handline nozzles incorporate a shut-off valve to control water flow.
Nozzle shut-offs enable fire fighters at the nozzle to start or stop water flow.
Smooth-bore nozzles
Simplest has a shut-off valve and smooth-bore tip that decreases stream diameter to smaller than hose diameter

29. Nozzles (3 of 6) Smooth-bore nozzle advantages Disadvantages
Longer reach
Capable of deeper penetration
Operation at lower pressures
Extinguishes fire with less air movement
Disadvantages
Streams do not absorb heat as readily
Fire fighter cannot change the setting

30. Nozzles (4 of 6) Fog-stream nozzles produce fine droplets of water.
Straight streams have center openings.
Advantages over smooth-bore nozzles
Can produce a variety of stream patterns
Effectively absorb heat
Move large volumes of air with water
Can push fire into unaffected areas

31. Nozzles (5 of 6)
Piercing nozzles make holes in sheet metal, aircraft, and building walls or ceilings to extinguish fires behind surfaces.
Cellar nozzles and Bresnan distributor nozzles fight fires in cellars and other inaccessible places.
Water curtain nozzles deliver a flat screen of water that forms a protective curtain on the surface of an exposed building.

32. Nozzles (6 of 6) Nozzle maintenance and inspection
Inspect nozzles regularly, with all equipment on every vehicle.
Check nozzles after each use before placing them back on the apparatus.
Keep nozzles clean and clear of debris.
Inspect fingers on the face of fog nozzles.

33. Fire Hose Evolutions (1 of 6)
Driver/operator’s responsibility is to secure a water source upon arrival on scene.
Fire hose evolutions are critical to driver/operator’s success.
Most departments set up equipment and conduct regular training so fire fighters are prepared to perform standard hose evolutions.

34. Fire Hose Evolutions (2 of 6)
Driver/operator should know where pressure lines should be supplied at.
Ensure they are properly flaked out before being charged with water pressure.
Driver/operator needs to know how to deploy hose lines and which size, length, and nozzle configurations are required.
Driver/operator needs all the information to supply the attack line with the correct water flow for fire extinguishment.

35. Fire Hose Evolutions (3 of 6)
Hose evolutions are divided into supply and attack line operations.
Supply line operations involve laying hose lines and making connections between the water supply source and the attack pumper.
Attack line operations involve advancing hose lines from the attack pumper to apply water onto the fire.

36. Fire Hose Evolutions (4 of 6)
Supply line evolutions
To deliver water from a hydrant or an alternative source to the attack pumper
Forward hose lay
Most often used by the first-arriving engine company at the fire scene
The hydrant closest to the fire may supply a sufficient amount of water by itself.

37. Fire Hose Evolutions (5 of 6)
Four-way hydrant valve
Water flows from the hydrant through the valve to a supply line which delivers water to the attack pumper.
Reverse hose lay
Hose is laid out from the fire to the hydrant.
Opposite direction to water flow
Courtesy of Jim Hylton

38. Fire Hose Evolutions (6 of 6)
Split hose lay
Performed by two engine companies, hose must be laid in two different directions
Coordination by two-way radio
When an engine is located at a hydrant, the supply hose must deliver water from the hydrant to the engine.

39. Cab Procedures (1 of 5)
Driver/operator should position the apparatus according to department policies and procedures and turn the front wheels toward the curb on a 45-degree angle.
If the apparatus moves, it will move toward the curb and stop, making the scene safer.
If there is no curb, same position for wheels so apparatus is not pushed ahead or into the other side of the street

40. Cab Procedures (2 of 5)

41. Cab Procedures (3 of 5)
All unnecessary emergency lighting should be off except what is needed for the protection of personnel working in and around the apparatus on scene.
Leaving all lighting on can drain the apparatus’s electrical system.
Newer apparatus automatically change lighting to “on scene” modes.
Older apparatus require driver/operator to choose which lights are used.

42. Cab Procedures (4 of 5) Once on scene and before exiting the cab
Exiting prematurely can waste valuable time and cause driver/operator to overlook important function
Place the transmission into neutral or park, based on the apparatus.
Apply the parking brake.
Place the apparatus transmission from “road” to “pump” position.
Place the apparatus transmission into drive, letting the motor power pump instead of the drivetrain.

43. Cab Procedures (5 of 5) Exiting the cab
Once the pump is engaged, the first task upon exiting the cab is to chock the apparatus wheels.
Circulate water into the pump.
Remove air inside the centrifugal pump for proper operation.
Once there is no air inside the pump, open the “Tank Refill” valve to let the water flow from the pump back into the onboard tank.

44. Securing a Water Source (1 of 3)
One of the driver/operator’s primary responsibility
Before leaving the fire station to respond, have the knowledge of water sources at or near the scene.
Use a map with hydrant locations on it.
Be familiar with water sources within the response area.

45. Securing a Water Source (2 of 3)
On arrival, the fire officer determines if the driver/operator will lay the supply line to the incident.
If the fire officer calls for a supply line, follow your department’s SOPs.
If the engine company is the first on scene, the fire officer may forgo the supply line and go straight into the scene.

46. Securing a Water Source (3 of 3)
Sometimes the hydrant is located near the building that is on fire.
Position the apparatus to use the hose to connect to the hydrant instead of using a forward lay.

47. Hand Lays (1 of 3) Considerations
How far is the apparatus from the hydrant?
What is the best hose to make the connection?
How long will this take to complete?
To determine how far the apparatus is from the closest hydrant, use a reference map in the apparatus or estimate the distance from the pump intake to the hydrant.

48. Hand Lays (2 of 3)
Some departments carry reduced-length 3” (76 mm) or 2½” (64 mm) hose for refilling the onboard tank from the hydrant.
If the hydrant is 60’ (18 m) feet away, shorter LDH lines are not an option.
To determine how long a hand lay will take:
Distance from apparatus to hydrant
Hose choice
Obstacles to deploy the hose

49. Hand Lays (3 of 3)
Consider double-tapping the hydrant when obtaining a water source.
Practice helps the driver/operator build confidence and become more proficient in securing a water source.

50. Standpipe/Sprinkler Connecting (1 of 4)
Connecting supply hose lines to standpipe and sprinkler systems
Standpipe systems provide water supply for attack lines that will be operated inside the building
Types of standpipe systems
Dry system
Wet system

51. Standpipe/Sprinkler Connecting (2 of 4)

52. Standpipe/Sprinkler Connecting (3 of 4)
Pressure requirements for standpipe systems depend on the height of water use in the building.
Private fire protection systems in the building are due to building characteristics within the response area, height, and construction materials used in the building.
FDC can be free standing or wall mounted.

53. Standpipe/Sprinkler Connecting (4 of 4)
Each female connection should have a clapper valve inside the Siamese connection that swings closed on any connection not in use.
If the exterior FDC connection is damaged so that a connection cannot be made, hook it up to the standpipe on the building’s first floor.
Connect the engine to the sprinkler/standpipe; your SOPs may specify when to supply the standpipe.

54. Performing a Changeover (1 of 6)
When arriving at a scene, the driver/operator may need to supply attack lines from an onboard tank, then have a supply line laid to the pump from another apparatus or a hand-laid supply line.
Supplying attack lines from an onboard tank is limited by the water in the tank.
Tank water lasts only so long; supply line is needed to sustain a fire attack for longer time.

55. Performing a Changeover (2 of 6)
During changeover, driver/operator switches from onboard tank to external source
Goal: to make changeover before running out of water in tank, with least pressure fluctuation for crew on nozzle
Over-pressurizing the attack line causes fire fighters to lose control, causing an unsafe situation.

56. Performing a Changeover (3 of 6)
Driver/operator needs to supply attack lines with correct pressure constantly to ensure safe operation
Pressure relief valve, pressure governor
Transfer valve is needed with multistage pump

57. Performing a Changeover (4 of 6)
Factors to consider before changeover
How much water is currently in the tank?
What flow rate (GPM) and pressure (psi) are used by the crew on the attack line?
What is the incoming pressure from the supply line?
What is the setting of the pressure control device?

58. Performing a Changeover (5 of 6)
When beginning changeover, watch the attack crew’s pressure gauge.
Fluctuation should not exceed 10 psi (69 kPa).
Slowly open the valve from the external water source, introducing water into the pump.
Once the valve is fully open, close the tank-to-pump valve.
If the pressure-relieving device is set for lower than the incoming supply pressure, increase the setting on the valve above the incoming pressure from the supply line.

59. Performing a Changeover (6 of 6)
Once changeover is accomplished, recheck all gauges for proper settings.
If no additional lines are needed, refill the onboard tank.
Open the tank fill valve just enough to let water into the tank, but not enough to permit pressure fluctuations for the attack lines.

60. Duties on Scene
Driver/operator has duties and responsibilities on scene other than pumping water or foam.
Once pumping operation is underway, monitor gauges on the pump panel.
During pumping operations, if engine temperature increases, take steps to reduce it.
Driver/operator’s final duty on the fire ground is to disengage the fire pump.

61. Summary Fire hoses are used for two purposes: supply and attack.
Hose appliances
Nozzles are attached to the discharge end of attack lines to give fire streams shape and direction.
Driver/operator’s responsibility is to secure the water source upon arrival on scene.
Fire hose evolutions is critical to the success of a firefighting operation.