2 1/2" and 3" hose loads

[toutdoors]

Here is the question for all of you out there. For those of you that use 2 1/2" and or 3" on the back of your rigs as either supply, or attack do you flat load, or accordian load it? What do you like about flat vs accordian? Have you had any problems with either load? Lastly, have any of you switched from one load to the other because you found the "new" load to work better for your department?
The reason I ask is that we will be evaluating the possibility of changing from accordian to a flat load. We have "always" accordian loaded our hose on the rear. The reason was that the flat load was too loose, and would allow the hose to fall out of the bed. Don't bust my chops on this, it is the reason that was given to us 10 years ago when we were hired. The biggest problem I have seen with the accordian load is that it gets packed in so tight, and sometimes you don't have an observant person who realizes that a dutchman needs to be placed.
Thanks for your responses, and hope to hear from you guys.
Happy New Year.

[RFDACM02]

We haven't used the accordian for years, but I'm guessing you're just packing it left to right from the head of the hosebed to the tail? We used the three sided edge load, meaning you went around the perimeter and back inside at the open end until the bed was filled and after the first tug everything pulled out very nicely. In more recent years hosebeds were specced for single and double width flat loads for both 2.5" and 3" lines.

[nameless]

flat load. Easy to do and very forgiving if you are loading it at 4am and a little sloppy due to fatigue. We just need our hose to come off, not to look good in a parade so the flat load is the best thing we've found.

[dday05]

We use the flat load and have had no problems with it. We have our blitzfire attached to it. Does your truck have moveable dividers? I don't think I have ever seen a truck except in a magazine that has had a accordian lay in it.

[Dave1983]

We use 3" for court yard lays and supply to FDC's and it is flat loaded. We have 2 1/2" attack lines that are loaded as triple layer pre-connects.

[MTKROUSH]

Flat load it. Much easier to repack at any time and in all weathers.

If you have difficulty convincing administration to accept change, flat load on scene and swear on your momma's eyes that you'll change it back when you get back to the house. Told my chief that several years ago. Would you believe we have yet to get back to the house?

[tjwagg]

flat load. Easy to do and very forgiving if you are loading it at 4am and a little sloppy due to fatigue. We just need our hose to come off, not to look good in a parade so the flat load is the best thing we've found.

My thoughts exactly.

[FWDbuff]

We haven't used the accordian for years, but I'm guessing you're just packing it left to right from the head of the hosebed to the tail? We used the three sided edge load, meaning you went around the perimeter and back inside at the open end until the bed was filled and after the first tug everything pulled out very nicely. In more recent years hosebeds were specced for single and double width flat loads for both 2.5" and 3" lines.

Is that a Horseshoe Load?

[toutdoors]

Thanks for the replies folks. One more question, has anyone experienced a flat load falling out of the bed while going down the road? This was one reason that was explained to us on probation years ago as to why we load the accordian. Thanks

[kuh shise]

Many years ago we received a new Mack CF with varnished wood hose bed. The very first run of the new engine we dropped 1200 feet of 5" LDH right in front of the station. The pad had a drain grating about 4" lower than the station floor and the combination of the bounce and a slight up hill to the street ejected the entire load. The solution was to install a piece of 3/4 X 2" beveled at 45 degrees across the end of the hose bed. The combination of dust and the strip eliminated the problem. Also the driver didn't jump on the throttle when he left the station any more. Red Face

[FyredUp]

Okay, fully prepared to take a beating for being a Safety Sally...

IF the NFPA required, secured hose bed cover is in place the hose load simply can't fall off the rig.

Now having said that. In 30 plus years of using the flat load we have never dumped the hose bed. Even before the days of the secured cover.

[nameless]

the flat load has been dumped before, but that's because someone was extremely sloppy (incompetent loading) or someone got the good idea that if X amount of supply line is good 2X is super good, so they tried to put way to much into the bed.


don't use hose bed covers, haven't had problems except for what i've said above.

[rfdlou]

Thanks for the replies folks. One more question, has anyone experienced a flat load falling out of the bed while going down the road? This was one reason that was explained to us on probation years ago as to why we load the accordian. Thanks

We used to accordion load with the bed split in the middle. One side was loaded female out. One side male out. Double female & double male adaptors were everywhere. Never lost the bed until the switch to 5”LDH. According to the car behind, highway speed & wind lifted the folds @the front of the bed & off it went (sloppy load) . We never used a cover however,a strap is now used to secure hose. The 5” LDH @ the bottom of the load rarely sees the light of day except annual testing & develops a nasty slime from the rain & snow. Slippery when wet and sticks like glue when it dries.

[hwoods]

We switched to the Flat Load at least 40 years ago, maybe longer. Over the years, we've had a bed start laying out for one reason or another, maybe once every couple of years or so. Figure our Engines are on the Street 6 to 10 or more times per day, that's not a big deal. We aren't seeing any difference in our 2005 Pierce than what we had with our 1965 Ward La France. Didn't lose it then, aren't losing it now. WITHOUT the NFPA's meddling interference


In Fact, we have not had a single instance of line coming loose with the Pierce yet.

[toutdoors]

Thanks again guys, keep the replies coming if you want, I appreciate it. Not sure how much weight this will have will the white shirts, along with all the other research that is being compiled on this matter, but will give it a shot. I will be posting more questions in regards to operations in the future, just to get an idea of what other departments are doing out there, and compare with ours. I look forward to all your replies.

[RFDACM02]

Is that a Horseshoe Load?

Come to think of it, I believe it is! My brain itched when I wrote that post becasue I couldn't come up with a name.

[Gnufsh]

I believe all the departments around here use a flat load.

[GTRider245]

We have 1700' of 3" supply hose loaded into a split bed in a horseshoe load. We use this load for two main reasons:

1. For our particular application (2005 E-One Typhoon) we fit an additional 200' of hose on the supply bed using the horseshoe rather than the flat load.

2. If the hose does get wet, (running calls in the rain, etc.) it dries faster and better loaded in the horseshoe.

And my personal favorite, you can lay on your back and not have to worry about knowing if the couplings were dutched or not.

[ffmedcbk1]

We use 2.5" (600 ft 2 wide stacks) and 3" (400' single stack due to being the only "non-shoulder load off the rear, used for blitzfire and FDC feeds) loads, both are flat. The other bay is 2x 1.75" 100' hose bundles.

The 3" was not perferred to be single stacked but we ran out of width due to rescue pumper configs that has 1/2 of rear religated to attack lines and 1/2 to supply hose b/c of dividing wall that holds hindged lid.

Flat allows us to shoulder or place over SCBA's when required faily easily and repack quickly and without much confusion.

Simple and easy to use....

[erik3911]

We use the accordian load 2000' of 3" set up for dual or single lays for the supply line. We use the flat lay for the 200' blitz line and the 200' leader line with the water thief.