Lugging the deuce and a half

[4095fanatic]

Just out of curiosity, how many of you make it a habit of pulling the blitz line as your first-in attack hose? I've been seeing some neighboring departments starting to do that more than they used to... we still pull the 1 3/4 as our first in attack line, and usually as the 2nd line to the charlie side as well. We pull the 2.5 on surround and drowns, but as we have three 200' 1 3/4 attack lines to pull, usually we leave the deuce on the piece.

Engine setup:

1000' 5" supply line.
Two 200' 1 3/4 pre-con'd crosslays.
One 200' 1 3/4 pre-con'd bumper line.
One 50' 1 1/2 Trash Line (front bumper).
One 200' 2 1/2 Blitz Line.
One Apartment Load (200' 3", 200' 1 3/4" off a gated wye).

[azFIREguy]

I guess that would depend for some departments. Mine we rarley pull a 2.5 for anything. We area a rural department in the desert with not many hydrants within our district. Most everything other than wildland fires gets a 1 3/4 line. Wildland gets a 1" to 1.5" line depending what threats were have.

[DTD2]

Smoke showing= 1 3/4" Unless the stretch is greater than 200' or it is a high hazard structure

Fire showing= 2 1/2"

Works every time

Our set-up
Engine 2820
http://lakegenevafire.org/sitebuilder/images/MVC-006F-600x450.jpg

2000 gallon tank
2000 gpm pump
2- 200' 2" front bumper crosslay (foam)
1- 200' 2" trashline on each side (foam)
1- 300' 2 1/2" crosslay across center (foam)
1- 150' 2" high rise pack
1- 300' 3" with gated wye
1050' of 5" stortz

Engine 2821
http://lakegenevafire.org/sitebuilder/images/MVC-023F-600x450.jpg
1000 gallon tank
1500gpm pump
2- 1 3/4" crosslays (1 foam)
1- 200' 2" crosslay trashline on each side
1- 300' 2 1/2" Bed load(foam)
1- 150' 2" high rise pack
1- 300' 3" bed load with gated wye
1050' of 5" stortz

FWIW check out our apparatus at www.lakegenevafire.org

[fireguy129]

Pull what the fire calls for! We generally won't pull a 2-1/2" for a usual sfd, but its dangerous to get used to pulling an 1-3/4" every time because "thats the line we pull first". We have 2 midship 1-3/4 with tft (200'), a 200' 2" with a 1-1/8" smoothbore, and a 300' 2" with a 1" sb. The 2-1/2" is there, but we usually pull that for commercial jobs, or to extend off the water thief.

[Fusion7]

I pull the deuce and a half if I have the water supply. Why be in there pissing on the fire when you could be in flowing some hella GPA on it?

[fireguy129]

Originally posted by Fusion7
I pull the deuce and a half if I have the water supply. Why be in there pissing on the fire when you could be in flowing some hella GPA on it?

True, true. I remember an instructor once telling us "Sooner or later, any fire will be able to be extinguished with a 5 gallon bucket of water." Sooner or later we've got to get ahead of the btu curve.

[Gpip]

1 3/4 is easier to move inside a structure.
2 1/2 will put out big fires but it is not practical if you go inside and have to fight your way to the base of the fire. If I'm going to stand outside and shoot through the front window give me a big line. If I'm going inside to attack the fire I'll take a 1 3/4.
There are exceptions to every rule though.

[hosehead634]

I just went thru a great class by John Norman Rei D.A.C. of FDNY special operations. He basically says the fire and your man power dictate what you haul. He did say there are a few things you can use to make the call. Obviously the NFPA fire flow formula, commercial with known victims 2 1/2 and large layout homes 1 3/4 he also makes clear your milage may vary

[fireguy129]

Anyone using 2" with a 1" smooth bore? We inherited 200' from a sister company, started flowing with it, and fell in love. We bought tft pistol grips with ball valves, and 1" tips. If the excel program I use is 100% right, 45lb nozzle pressure yeilds 225gpm. Engine pressure is 140, and you can stretch that out to 235 feet. If anyone wants a copy of it, post or pm me. Its an awesome sheet that you input your flows, and it calculates engine pressure and total length possible.