Ventilation

[TNFF319]

Do your nozzle men every use a fog stream to vent a room? We recently discussed the topic, but I have never seen it done. Is it really effective at venting?

[ChiefKN]

Do your nozzle men every use a fog stream to vent a room? We recently discussed the topic, but I have never seen it done. Is it really effective at venting?

Yes, we train and use it. Works very well if done correctly.

It's not my first choice as it can add water damage and it wastes water. Sometimes we are operating from a tender shuttle.

[Remthedays]

This form of ventilation has been around for years and is very usefull. It is handy after an initial knockdown of a room/contents fire when the interior team needs to remove some smoke for better visability. It should not cause any additional water damage since you are in the room anyway, and you are sticking the nozzle out the window (fog pattern) which will draw the smoke out of the room. This can be done with Tender/Tanker operations because you are only doing this for 2-4 mins. then you can set up fans.

It is just another tool in the tool box, so to speak.

T.J.

[ChicagoFF]

We do it all the time - it works great.

[BoxAlarm187]

Likewise, we use it routinely, and it's very effective....

The biggest mistake I usually see used with this method is that the nozzleman is too close to the window. Make sure you're about 6' back and covering about 90% of the window, and you'll find that the air currents created are much more effective.

[PFDTruck18]

We do it at almost every job. Works great, just tell the fellas to get the hell out of the doorway so you can actually pull air from somewhere. Works best with well perfromed horizontal ventilation.

[mcaldwell]

Agreed, works excellent. In a multi storey application, often far better than a PPV on the ground floor.

[Geinandputitout]

We use it a lot on sfd room and contents fire. Get a quick knock, pop a window and tadaaaa!

[KEEPBACK200FEET]

In a word-Yes. I thought this was a universally accepted method of ventilation in the fire service. I guess I was wrong.

[mcaldwell]

In a word-Yes. I thought this was a universally accepted method of ventilation in the fire service. I guess I was wrong.

Big difference between teaching a technique in theory class, and actually getting a chance to use it. Many small depts don't have the training space or opportunities to try everything in the book. I was on my Dept for probably four years before I had the chance to try hydraulic ventilation on a real fire.

When in an emergency situation you go back to your training and practice. If you haven't practiced it, you likely won't try it on scene.

[KEEPBACK200FEET]

Good point. It seems to me that this would be a handy tool that every fire control or ventilation instructor would want to make sure that their students got down pat.

[ChiefKN]

Funny thing this thread. We actually smoked up a structure with theater smoke and let the probies perform this skill last week.

Don't misunderstand my concerns about water usage.... it's a quick easy way to move a lot of smoke fast.

We use it a lot.

[FFFRED]

Do your nozzle men every use a fog stream to vent a room? We recently discussed the topic, but I have never seen it done. Is it really effective at venting?

Funny you should mention this...

I was told of a recent fire in my old job where the Chief was actually upset when the men inside used hydraulic ventilation after a fire in a house and the fog stream was hitting the exterior of the house next door some 25-30 ft away. (not hard mind you but more or less giving it a washing as would occur in a heavy thunderstorm)

Someone tell us what are the exteriors of houses meant to do???...thats right...shed and repell water!

Only reinforces my decision to leave that place when I did.

Hydraulic ventilation is a useful and practical tactic that is used here more often than not. Done it many times and it works well to expell the smoke condition after a fire is extinuguished.

FTM-PTB

[Slaytallica45]

We use it all the time here, the official term for this is Hydraulic Ventilation. Works great for a one room fire and you want to clear all the smoke/heat out quickly

[Jasper 45]

We use it all the time here, the official term for this is Hydraulic Ventilation.

Same here. We teach it as a fundamental part of recruit school.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

We do it all the time... it's called "power venting".
You just have to have someone keep an eye behind you, as the movement of air via the hose stream can cause anything smouldering to flare up.,. so one must be ready to stop the vent and wet down the area.

PS: if you are going to power vent... look out the window first and let anybody there know what you are going to do.

[ChicagoFF]

PS: if you are going to power vent... look out the window first and let anybody there know what you are going to do.

You must be joking! The only people standing outside the windows are usually chiefs... I warn no one!

[len1582]

"Hydraulic ventilation" . . "Power venting" . . . . whatever you want to call it, an important thing is to remove all glass before you shoot water through the window. Chunks of glass can go flying and hit someone outside.
And yes I agree with everyone here, it works good.

[len1582]

You must be joking! The only people standing outside the windows are usually chiefs... I warn no one!

I guess Gonzo knew you'd be on the nozzle.

[masterFF]

It's not my first choice as it can add water damage

Not sure about adding water damage. The water is going out the window with the smoke and heat.