1. Fire Attack and Foam (Fire Fighter I)
Courtesy of the University of Nevada, Reno Fire Science Academy
CHAPTER 17
Fire Attack and Foam
(Fire Fighter I) 1

2. Fire Fighter I Objectives
List the standard sizes of attack hoses.
Describe the characteristics of booster hose.
Describe the general procedures that are followed during attack line evolutions.
Describe the types of loads used to organize attack hose. 2

3. Fire Fighter I Objectives
Describe the procedures to follow when advancing an attack hose.
Describe how to extend an attack line.
Describe how to advance an attack line from a standpipe.
Describe how to replace a defective section of attack hose. 3

4. Fire Fighter I Objectives
List the three classifications of nozzles.
Describe the characteristics of smooth-bore nozzles.
Describe the characteristics of fog-stream nozzles.
List the three types of fog-stream nozzles. 4

5. Fire Fighter I Objectives
Describe the specialized nozzles that may be used during fire suppression operations.
Describe how to maintain nozzles to ensure proper operation.
Describe how to inspect nozzles. 5

6. Introduction Two main purposes of a fire hose:
Supply hose
Attack hose
Attack lines discharge water from an attack engine. 6

7. Attack Hose Medium-diameter hoses are used to:
Extinguish larger fires
Deliver water to a master stream device or a fire department connection
Large-diameter hoses are:
Used to supply master stream devices
Mounted on an aerial ladder 7

8. Attack Hose Must withstand high pressure and high temperatures
Must be tested annually 8

9. Sizes of Attack Lines 1½" (3.81 cm) and 1¾" (4.45 cm) attack hose
Often used either as the primary line for structure fires
2½" (6.25 cm) attack hose
Used for fires that are too large to be controlled by a 1½" (3.81 cm) and 1¾" (4.45 cm) hose line. 9

10. Sizes of Attack Lines Booster hose Forestry lines
Used for small outdoor fires and trash dumpsters.
Forestry lines
Small-diameter hoses that can extend for hundreds of feet 10

11. Attack Line Evolutions
Attack lines are used to deliver water from an attack engine to a nozzle.
Evolutions are methods of working with attack lines in a variety of situations.
Most engines are equipped with preconnected attack lines. 11

12. Preconnected Attack Lines
Intended for immediate use
Predetermined length of hose
Nozzle already attached and connected
Should be loaded in the hose bed so they can be quickly stretched from the engine to the fire. 12

13. Wyed Lines
To reach a fire that may be far from the engine, it may be necessary to first advance a larger diameter line.
This is accomplished by attaching a gated wye or a water thief to the end of the line. 13

14. Advancing Attack Lines
Two stages
Laying out the hose to the building entrance
Advancing the line into the building
Flake extra hose in a serpentine pattern. 14

15. Advancing Attack Lines
Signal the driver to charge the line.
Make sure the nozzle is set to deliver the appropriate stream.
Recheck your and your partner’s personal protective equipment.
Advance the line as soon as your officer directs you. 15

16. Advancing Attack Lines
As you move inside, stay low.
If you cannot see, use your hands to feel the pathway in front of you.
Communicate with the other members of the team as you advance. 16

17. Advancing an Attack Line Up a Stairway
Arrange extra hose close to the bottom of the stairs.
Make sure all of the team is ready.
Shut down the hose line while moving up the stairs to get to the top more quickly. 17

18. Advancing an Attack Line Down a Stairway
Keep as low as possible.
Never advance toward a fire unless your hose line is charged.
Move down the stairway feet first. 18

19. Advancing an Attack Line Up a Ladder
Do before the line is charged.
Additional hose should be fed up the ladder until sufficient hose is inside.
The hose should be secured to the ladder with a hose strap. 19

20. Operating an Attack Line from a Ladder
A hose stream can be operated and directed into a building through a window or other opening. 20

21. Extending an Attack Line
Two ways to extend a hose line:
Disconnect the hose from the discharge gate and add the extra hose at that location.
Add the hose to the discharge end of the hose. 21

22. Advancing an Attack Line from a Standpipe Outlet
Before opening the door, flake out the hose line so it will be ready to advance.
Before charging the hose line, flake out the hose on the stairs.
When the hose line is charged and advanced, gravity will help move the line. 22

23. Replacing a Defective Section of Hose
Shut down as soon as possible.
Remove the damaged section and replace it with two sections of hose.
Ensures that the replacement hose is long enough to replace the damaged section. 23

24. Nozzles Give fire streams shape and direction Classified into groups:
Low-volume
Handline
Master stream 24

25. Nozzle Shut-offs
Enables a person at the nozzle to start or stop the flow of water.
The most common is a quarter-turn valve.
Two different types of nozzles:
Smooth-bore produce a solid column of water
Fog-stream separate the water into droplets 25

26. Smooth-Bore Nozzles Consist of shut-off valve and smooth bore tips
Fit handlines and master stream devices 26

27. Smooth-Bore Nozzles Advantages:
Longer reach than combination fog nozzle
Capable of deeper penetration
Operate at lower pressures
Extinguishes fire with less air movement 27

28. Smooth-Bore Nozzles Disadvantages:
Do not absorb heat as readily as fog streams
Not as effective for hydraulic ventilation
Cannot change setting to produce a fog pattern 28

29. Fog Stream Nozzles Produce fine droplets of water Absorb heat quickly
Can create a water curtain to protect fire fighters from heat 29

30. Fog Stream Nozzles Advantages: Disadvantages:
Can be used to exhaust smoke and gases through hydraulic ventilation
Disadvantages:
Move large volumes of air, which can push hot steam and gases onto fire fighters
Can push fire into unaffected areas 30

31. Fog Stream Nozzles Types of fog stream nozzles:
Fixed gallonage: Deliver a preset flow in gallons per minute at the rated discharge pressure
Adjustable gallonage: Allow the operator to select a desired flow
Automatic adjusting: Deliver a wide range of flows 31

32. Other Types of Nozzles Piercing nozzle Cellar nozzle
Water curtain nozzle
© Goodman Photography/ShutterStock, Inc.
Courtesy of Akron Brass Company
Courtesy of POK of North America, Inc. 32

33. Nozzle Maintenance and Inspection
Nozzles should be:
Checked after each use
Kept clean and clear of debris
Inspect fog nozzle fingers 33

34. Summary
Attack hoses carry water from the engine to a nozzle onto the fire.
Attack hoses operate at high pressure.
Hoses used to attack interior fires are either 1½" (3.81 cm) and 1¾" (4.45 cm) in diameter.
Attack hoses must be tested annually. 34

35. Summary A 1½" (3.81 cm) can flow between 60 and 125 gal (228–475 L).
A 2½" (6.25 cm) hose is used on large fires.
Booster hoses contain a steel wire, giving it a rigid shape.
Attack lines are stretched from the attack engine to the fire. 35

36. Summary
Attack lines are loaded so they can be quickly and easily deployed.
Preconnected hose lines can be placed in different locations on a fire engine.
Hoses may need to be split into two lines in order to reach a fire that is far away.
Attack evolutions have a specific structure. 36

37. Summary Nozzles give fire streams shape and direction.
Nozzle shut-off enables the fire fighter to start or stop the flow of water.
Smooth-bore and fog-stream are the two different types of nozzles.
There are three specialized nozzles. 37