Wildland hose loads

[Res343cue]

So, after exhausting the FH.Com Search, I figured I'd give this a shot.

Is anyone using any unique / creative ways to store forrestry hose? We just flat load it into the forrestry backpacks, and can fit about 1000-1200 feet per bag, depending on how much you press down.

Is anyone leaving their hose in donut rolled with the couplings connected? Does it have a hard time deploying like this if you try to walk away from the bag with the end of the line? Is it getting caught up?

Anyone have a backpack mounted reel, or
something similar?

I'm sure people have seen the velcro high-rise pack straps for around your hose. Anyone using something like that on forrestry line?

[fdmhbozz]

We have some of ours in the Milwaukee Straps (high-rise straps). We also have some stored in single-donut rolls.

We don't use too much hose on wildland fires. With our Engine 3 capable of pump and roll, we use two short sections of 1" out of the jumpseats or the turrets on the front of the truck. Whatever we can't get with that setup, we use the Indian packs and brooms.

[EMTZeek]

we use gasner (spelling) packs...as you walk the hose can feed off the back, great tool

[NJFFSA16]

How would you load donuts into a packback...with the ability to feed as you walk? Did I misunderstand you?

The standard accordian folds in a pack seem to work easiest. If there's a creative way to go about this....we haven't found it yet.;)

[EMTZeek]

http://www.firstinproducts.com/kmp.html

its a pack, that you release as you walk to drop certain layers of hose.

[hwoods]

Great Pack, the name you were looking for is "Gnass". National has them in their catalogs.

At my VFD We use the Structural Standpipe Bag, it holds 500 feet of 1 inch hose, Gated Wye, and a nozzle, with no problem.

My work truck should be a type 6 engine, but I've added a bunch of extras. With 2,100 feet of hose, Nozzles, Wyes, Tees, and similar stuff, I move from initial attack right into mopup, and am often the only forestry unit needed for mopup, with the VFDs supplying a Tanker and some people.

[Res343cue]

Originally posted by NJFFSA16
How would you load donuts into a packback...with the ability to feed as you walk? Did I misunderstand you?

The standard accordian folds in a pack seem to work easiest. If there's a creative way to go about this....we haven't found it yet.;)

Female coupling on the inside, make your roll. Connect the male coupling to the next female, and then do another roll around these two couplings. Continue for a few "donuts". Add the nozzle onto the top, and presto.

Rationale behind it was, if you grab the nozzle and walk away from the pack, the donuts shouldn't just disentegrate. The hose should unwrap and pull out. That was my thinking atleast.

[RxFire]

This works for a progressive hose lay.

Lay out your 1.5" hose, attach your 1.5" gated wye to the end, then connect your 1" to the wye (via a 1.5" - 1" reducer). Holding the nozzle on the 1" at the wye, stretch your 1" line along/on top of the 1.5". Then you suck out as much air as possible using a Mark III hand primer, or any other way you can. When hoses are flat, tape them together in about 8-10 spots with a wrap or two of masking tape (or you can use flagging and tie the hoses together) or other similar tape (it has to something that will tear when the hoses are charged, so glass/fiber tape is a no-no). NOW, start with the gated wye in the bottom of the pack (works better if the wye is shut on both sides), and accordian it in as best you can, leaving a small tail sticking out of the bag to grab to hook-up. Close flap and buckle. Leave shoulder straps as wide as possible to make donning the pack easier.


This method works well in the green nylon backpacks the feds have like this one

[RxFire]

This one is nice in that there is nothing extra to carry or pick up later. When the 1.5 runs out, you drop the remining bit on your back, pull the strings holding the 1" together and charge it. One disadvantage is that the 1" can kink from twists a little easier being in a coil, rather than laid out straight.

[RxFire]

http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/WHEG03.pdf

WARNING - this is a 9MB file, so it'll take some time to fully load on dial-up connection.