Letters to the Editor
departments
Inline Pumping Remarks
Huntsville, Tex.:
Dick Sylvia’s excellent article on inline pumping (The Volunteers Corner, March 1980) deserves further elaboration.
Many fire fighters and fire administrators do not have a complete understanding of the advantages of large diameter hose. We continue to see reviews of large fires where the fire department went to great lengths to stretch massive volumes of 2 1/2 or 3-inch hose to try and develop an adequate water flow. The procedure is time consuming and requires tremendous manpower and equipment commitments. Rarely will the department using such procedures be able to take full advantage of the available water supplies and the .pumping capacities of its apparatus.
Perhaps even more frustrating is to review incidents where initial attack engine companies used a 2 1/2 or 3-inch hose lay only to have the rapidly increasing fire volume overwhelm the limited water capabilities of the initial fire fighting commitment. Such incidents reflect inadequate planning and preparation for the inevitable large fires we must all face.
Every fire fighter and fire administrator should undertake an intensive study of the volume capabilities of large diameter hose. Engineers and rating bureaus learned years ago that certain minimum sized pipe is required to develop an appropriate water volume. It is time for the fire service to review and understand those same principles and apply them to the tactical operations of their departments. We cannot continue to inhibit the effectiveness of our service by using hose which is not large enough to develop the full potential of the available water supply with one simple hose lay per engine company.
I am convinced that the fire department which does not use large diameter hose (preferably 5-inch or larger) as a normal part of engine company operations is severely limiting the effectiveness of its manpower and equipment. Certainly, they will be able to handle the average fire which can be controlled with one or two handlines. But when faced with a serious fire, they will be required to make massive commitments of manpower and equipment to overcome the obstacles to an effective water flow.
Large diameter hose is not a panacea. However, when fire fighters are faced with a volume of fire which challenges the capabilities of the attack force, the department must be able to take advantage of every tactic and procedure available if it is to be successful in its fire fighting efforts.
Wesley L. Melo Training Officer Huntsville Fire Dept.
Dallas Contributes to MDA
The Dallas Fire Department designated April as “Hire-a-Fire Fighter Month.” Offduty fire fighters performed minor cleanup and repair jobs with all proceeds benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Garage sale benefits also went to the MDA.
