Hose loads

[smokeater81]

There has been some discussion lately in my department regarding the hose loads we use on our apparatus. Just out of curiosity, how do you load your 2 1/2" hose? Do you use a flat load, or do you use an accordian? And why did your department decide to use these loads.

Thanks for all your help.

[TheWeave]

Here at the Los Angeles County Fire Department, we use a FLAT load for our 2 1/2" and 4" Hose Loads. Main reasons are :
1) Easier to load
2) Faster to load - we often use a method of backing the vehicle
to assist in loading a long hose lay
3) Unloads easier and straighter(usually)where many times an
accordian hose lay will unload in a "S" pattern.
4) Does not collect as much debris between the folds (vertical VS
horizontal) in an open hose bed
5) Many personnel here think it looks better and cleaner

For the 1 3/4" we use a REVERSE HORSESHOE in the transverse (crosslay) hose beds. This allows for an instant hosepack to be carried and deployed while moving around objects, or we can drop complete sections that will pay out as we move. All transvers (crosslay) hose beds are preconnected for a quick attack.

Some of the brush stations carry 1 1/2" and 1" FLAT loads in the transverse (crosslay) hosebeds during brush season, but most brush hose is carried in hose packs.

I hope this helps and sparks ideas, because if we do not share, how can we learn?

TheWeave
LACoFD.

But, the best reason for any hose load should be tied to the needs of the area(s) that the Engine Company serves. Not all hose loads work in all locations. Some standardization is nice, but don't sacrafice service. We have near 170 Engine Companies, and protect areas of Desert, Mountains, City, Rual, High Rise, Deep lot appartments, Single family residents, Huge commercial warehouses.... and I can guarantee you that some Engines have specific hose needs and have varying hose loads to fill those needs. But all large hose is loaded in a FLAT load.

[SPIPER]

All of our 1 1/2 up are horseshoe lays. I don't know why, the chief says do it that way, so we do.

[eng23ine]

In my dept. we use flat load for 2.5", 3" and 5" hose. 1.75" is either reverse horseshoe, minute man, or flat lay, depending on the engine and lenth of the lay. Ariel trucks have the 5" in an accordian lay due to hose bed layouts.

We use flat loads on our 5" supply line and our 2 1/2" dead bed & 2 1/2" crosslay. On our 1.75" Crosslay, we use minutemen load. The same with our 1.75" speedlays. Our trash line is flat loaded in the bumper (can't minuteman load it).

[Rayr49]

We use the flat load on all lines 1.5" and larger. I have never tried a comparison but it would seem that there is probably a slight difference in the amount of hose that can be carried in the hose bed in flat vs accordian. You can pack the accordian tighter but there are a few disadvantages as others have mentioned.

The US Air Force used to use accordian loads with a skid or "Cisco" finish. We also sometimes used a horseshoe load. This was in the days before LDH and reverse lays were common practice.

Nowdays it seems that the accordian makes a good "parade load" because it looks more uniform than the accordian.

Stay Safe