Firehose

This article is about the type of hose. For the band, see Firehose (band).

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Indoor firehose

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A firehose is a high-pressure hose used to carry water or other fire retardant (such as foam) to a fire to extinguish it. Outdoors, it is attached either to a fire engine or a fire hydrant. Indoors, it can be permanently attached to a building's standpipe or plumbing system.

The usual working pressure of a firehose can vary between 8 bar and 20 bar (0.8 to 2.0 MPa or 100 to 300 psi), while its bursting pressure can be up to 83 bar (8.3 MPa or 1200 psi). (This level of pressure emitted by the hose can actually break in a weaker brick wall.)^{[citation needed]}

After usage, a firehose is usually hung to dry as standing water that remains in a hose for an extended period of time can deteriorate the material and render it unreliable or unusable. As such, the typical fire station often has a high structure to accommodate the length of a hose for such preventive maintenance.

This high pressure also allows the fire hose to be used for crowd control (see also water cannon), including most notably by Bull Connor in Alabama against civil rights protestors in 1964. While still a common practice in many countries, it is no longer used in the U.S.

The first fire hose was invented by Jan van der Heyden in 1672.^[1]

There are generally five main sizes of firehose used today. The "Booster" or also known as the "garbage line" or "reel line", is small and similar to a garden hose in design but will provide more volume or pressure. It is used for smaller fires, overhaul and clean up. The next size is the 1 3/4 inch, the basic type used for attacking a fire. It is the normally used hose for entering a structure. The 2 1/2 inch hose, or the "Blitz Line" , is used for heavy levels of fire, and is used sparingly inside, and is used typically outside. The 3 inch and 5 inch hoses are used as supply lines, and are normally used to transport water to and from the hydrants to the engines or pumpers. There are also certain procedures that may use a 3 inch hose as an attack line.

References

^ "Fire fighting". Gemeentearchief Amsterdam.

There are bessically two types of hose we use. Suction and Delivery

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Firefighter

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v • d • e Fire fighting

Personnel	Firefighter • Fire Marshal • Fire Master • Firefighter Assist and Search Team • Fire Police • Smokejumper • Station officer • Volunteer fire department

Facilities	Fire lookout tower • Fire Service College • Fire station

Equipment	Glossary of firefighting equipment • Bunker gear • Fire apparatus • Fire chief's vehicle • Fire hose • Fire hydrant • Fire retardant • Fire siren • Fire station • Fireman's switch • Flame retardant • Heat detector • Helitack • List of fire-retardant materials • Nomex • Siren • Smoke detector • Splash suit • Super Scooper • Thermal imaging camera

Terminology	Glossary of firefighting terms • Glossary of wildland fire terms • Dead Man Zone • Draft • Fire classes • Fire control • Fire safety • Fire triangle • Fireman's carry • Firewall • Flash fire • Forcible entry • Gaseous fire suppression • Master stream • Stop, drop and roll • Structure fire • Two-in, two-out • Ventilation • Wetdown • Wildfire

Miscellaneous	Aerial firefighting • Firefighting worldwide • History of firefighting • International Association of Fire Fighters • International Firefighters' Day • List of historic fires • List of firefighting films • London Fire Brigade Museum • National Fire Incident Reporting System • World Police and Fire Games