By Bill Gustin
Miami-Dade Fire/Rescue (MDFR) adopted the triple layer hose load for their 1½-inch cross lay preconnect hoselines in 1979 and its effectiveness has never been re-evaluated or compared with other hose loads in more than 40 years. Over the years, a lot has changed with the neighborhoods and structures they protect, their firefighting tactics, and the change from 1½- to 1¾-inch hose. Additionally, the height of fire apparatus crosslay hose beds has increased as newer apparatus replaced older rigs. The ideal condition for deploying the triple layer load or any crosslay is when it can be pulled directly at a right angle to an apparatus, flaked out in a spacious front yard, and advanced through a front door.
Accordingly, if the only areas that Miami-Dade protected consisted of single-family suburban homes there would be no need to explore alternative hose loads. Suburban homes, however, are just a small segment of the structures the fire department protects. Miami-Dade County have has become more densely populated and urban over the years; frequently requiring deployment of crosslays in less-than-ideal conditions. Narrow streets, parallel parked cars, fences, and multiple dwellings have become the norm. A crucial consideration when configuring any hose load is its ability to be stretched around corners and obstacles such as fence gates and the space between vehicle tires and pavement. Unfortunately, the triple layer load performs poorly under those conditions, requiring a firefighter to manage hose at every obstacle and change of direction. Over the years, it became increasingly apparent that the department needed a hose load that can be carried and deployed from the shoulder or forearm as well as dragged, when conditions permit.
A critical size-up consideration is locating the entrance door to a fire building; hence, it is a key observation when conducting a “360.” Since 1979, opportunities to advance a hoseline through a front door of a residence have decreased significantly. In many neighborhoods, homes that were originally designed and constructed to house one family now house two or more families in living units that cannot be reached from the front door. Similarly, many garages have been renovated into one or more residential occupancies.
There are apparatus in Miami-Dade’s fleet that have crosslay hose beds that are so high that hose has to be pulled while standing on a narrow side running board—not a safe technique for firefighters with an SCBA on their back. Accordingly, an important safety requirement of any alternative hose load is that it can be pulled easily by firefighters standing on the ground. The flat crosslay hose load meets this requirement because it is configured with long loops that can be reached from the ground. The loops can be tucked into the hose bed so that hose is restrained by netting or a cover in compliance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) requirements and will fall into position when the restraint is unhooked. MDFR fire academy recruits are taught the importance of stretching a “working length” along with the nozzle to the entrance of a building to facilitate a smooth advance; accordingly, with the flat load the nozzle and working length is bundled with Velcro straps, with the ability to deploy the load from either side of an apparatus.
The training division conducted dozens of side-by-side comparisons of the triple layer load vs. the flat load under a wide variety of conditions. Many of these comparisons were performed by companies throughout the county that were not familiar with the load and had never deployed it. The results of the evaluations were conclusive: The flat load out-performed the triple layer load, especially when deployed around corners, obstacles, and on stairs. To implement the transition from the triple-layer load to the flat load, Miami-Dade’s Training Division is conducting hands-on training and have produced five training videos written and narrated by Lieutenant Shane Pyle of Engine Co. 2. It is important to note that the evolutions in these videos were performed by engine companies in diverse areas of the county and, in some cases, by personnel performing them for the first time, thereby demonstrating that the flat load is easy to teach, learn, load and deploy. See part one of the training above.
