Hose Couplings

By
John Mittendorf
– February 26, 2010Posted in: FD Training
Of all the various types of tools and equipment utilized by the fire service, the common hose coupling is likely the most underrated and least appreciated piece of equipment in...

Of all the various types of tools and equipment utilized by the fire service, the common hose coupling is likely the most underrated and least appreciated piece of equipment in use today. Consider that high-tech apparatus, pumps, hose, water additives, nozzles, and personnel would be ineffective in “putting the wet stuff on the red stuff” if hose was unable to be attached to pumps and nozzles, and that fire attack personnel could not effectively follow a hose line out of a building in an emergency if sections of hose were not able to be connected together. With these thoughts in mind, let’s consider how we can increase the effectiveness of most hose couplings when applied to fireground operations:

BOWL
Currently, most hose couplings are manufactured in male or female configurations. The portion of a coupling attached to hose (the fabric portion) is referred to as a “bowl.” Interestingly, bowls are commonly produced with a straight cut at the rear of the bowl (where hose enters the coupling). This results in a sharp edge that can restrict the movement of hose when being pulled around corners in structures, and across concrete, asphalt, and other similar surfaces. This can be graphically demonstrated by observing the abrasion marks on most couplings. To minimize this condition, hose couplings can be ordered with “tapered bowls” which removes the sharp edge at the end of a bowl, resulting in hose that is much easier to pull around corners and across ground surfaces. Additionally, a tapered bowl does not have a tendency to “hang-up” on a corner when being advanced in the interior of a structure. Remember that some hose manufacturers do not manufacture hose with a tapered bowl unless it is specifically requested (normally at a minimal cost).

DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
Occasionally, it is necessary for fireground personnel to follow hose lines for the following considerations:

  • An attack team suddenly needs to follow their attack line out of a structure due to deteriorating conditions.
  • It is suddenly determined an attack team needs to be rescued due to a flashover, building collapse, etc. Normally, the most direct path to their probable location is for a search team to initially follow and search along the path of the attack line to the nozzle.

Therefore, it is imperative that personnel practice and become familiar with the concept of following a hose line with only their hands as a reference point. The ability of personnel to determine the proper direction of travel along a hose line can be easily accomplished if personnel are able to feel a coupling with their gloved hands and quickly determine the proper direction to the nozzle or exterior of a structure of travel as follows:

  • Assume a nozzle is connected to a male coupling. Therefore, when considering any coupling (behind a nozzle attached to a male coupling), following the hose behind male couplings will lead towards the pump (outside the structure) and following the hose behind female couplings will lead towards the nozzle (into the structure). With practice, it is easy to distinguish between a male and female coupling by feel only. The lug on a female coupling is 1/3 to 1/2 the length as compared to the length of a lug on a male coupling. With this knowledge, any firefighter can grasp a coupling on a hose line and quickly determine which direction will lead to a desired location as follows (forward lay):
  • To reach the exterior of a building, follow the hose behind the male coupling.
  • To reach the nozzle, follow the hose behind the female coupling.

Additionally, before entering a structure for a search and rescue operation that will depend on a search team following a hose line, determine (from the appropriate pump operator) the appropriate hose line to follow into the structure, how many feet of line is into the structure, and what is the type of hose lay (forward or reverse). Remember that a 2-1/2-inch line can be forward or reverse and 1-3/4, 1-1/2 and 1-inch lines are normally forward. Every firefighter should be familiar with this concept.

  • Ladder_Truck Quints Part 2
    21 June 2010 6:00 AM | No Comments

    In our first article, we discussed several quint considerations such as financial and design criteria. In this article, let’s look at several additional considerations such as staffing and training. STAFFING...

    Read More
  • Firefighter_Home_FIre Two In – Two Out. Friend or Foe? – Part 2
    29 January 2010 8:04 AM | No Comments

    PART 2 In part 1, we began to consider the implementation of OSHA two in-two out. Let’s continue with several more considerations. Customer Service Several years ago, Alan Brunancini, Chief...

    Read More
  • firefighters-with-fan Positive Pressure for a Positive Advantage – Part 4
    06 December 2010 7:54 PM | No Comments

    In parts 1, 2, and 3, we reviewed the basic differences between negative and positive pressure ventilation, implementation considerations for positive pressure ventilation, and tactics for pressurizing a variety of...

    Read More
John Mittendorf

About John Mittendorf

John Mittendorf was a 30 year veteran of the Los Angeles City Fire Department and held the rank of Battalion Chief until his retirement in 1993. He has been a member of the National Fire Protection Research Foundation on Engineered Lightweight Construction Technical Advisory Committee. He has provided training programs for the National Fire Academy, UCLA, and the British Fire Academy in England. He has acted in an advisory capacity for five college fire science advisory boards and is the author of numerous fireground articles for magazines in the United States and Europe. He is the author of the books Ventilation Methods and Techniques, Truck Company Operations, and Facing the Promotional Interview. He currently lectures in the United States and the United Kingdom on strategy and tactics, truck company operations, fireground operations, ventilation operations, and the complete fire officer. He is a member of the editorial advisory board of Fire Engineering magazine.