Supply Lines

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Adam Miceli on September 28, 2008 at 10:18am

Our dept. runs out of one station with three engines, a tower, and three ambulances. The daily staffing puts the tower, an engine and an ambulance on all boxes. We lead out with the tower, and the tower officer is the shift duty officer. As such the DO calls the lay. Most often the first due engine (only initially responding engine) will come to the scene unless otherwise directed by the DO. With a reported fire if there is a nearby hydrant or one within a few blocks in the route of travel, the tower will request the engine standby to lay in. Upon arrival the DO can have the line forward laid, hold in place or move-up without the line. Most often the engine ends up at the scene with no line. The second due engine responds with off duty or call personnel. The second due, unless otherwise directed comes to the scene and prepares to reverse lay to the hydrant. At this point this is the decision of the IC, still most likely the shift DO.

There are some other SOPs such as: an engine shall pump the hydrant in commercial occupancies if the hydrant is over 300 ft away. And 600 ft. in residential. We try not to exceed 700 ft. between engines to maintain 1000 gpm capability through our 4" LDH (soon to be replaced w/ 5")

So, to answer your question our lead shift officer or the IC makes the call. I'm unclear as to the last part about it being "packed back"? Are you asking who does it? When its done? Or how they re-pack the line?

Permalink Reply by JOSEPH KOONCE on September 28, 2008 at 10:46am

fFrom a small career dept in NJ, we have anywhere from 12 men to 9 men on duty for a 24 hr shift. we run two engines, a truck and rescue. A Capt rides as the shift commander. First due eng picks up the water supply with a 4" in supply. lay is hyd to fire. second due eng stands by at a secondary water source, if not needed pulls up to scene to assist in other fire ground ops.

Permalink Reply by Richard Jordan on September 30, 2008 at 2:46pm

Generally we go with the following: nothing showing- work off the tank( no line laid) report of people trapped- work off tank, allow 2nd in to lay 5" line from plug to the attack piece. This is the officers descretion, you can lay in if the officer doesn't feel it will delay the rescue adversely. Fire or smoke showing enroute or when you make the block, forward lay and next avail. unit makes hydrant connection. It is the officers responsibility to find his hydrant and determine whether he will lay in or his DPO can hand jack the supply line( basically less than or equal to 200 of 5"). Also the second in is responsible for identifying a secondary hydrant and staging accordingly.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Schwering on November 18, 2008 at 9:38pm

My department operates two engines out of the same house. The second due engine usually drops the 5", however, depending on the location of the fire building. The first due company can drop the line. Our officers communicate with each other while enroute. As far as loading our equipment, both companies hose loads are identical. The 5" in this case, or any line that comes off our engines, goes on the same way. No discretion is given, we tried this once and it didn't work out so well.

Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on September 3, 2009 at 6:14pm

In our area, all of the FD's operate pretty much the same way in regards to supplying an Engine. The 1st due Eng Co will make an attack off of their booster tank. The 2nd due Eng Co will stretch a 4 inch supply line either from the hydrant to the 1st due Eng Co or they will stretch from the 1st due Eng Co back to the hydrant. This is enteirely at the discretion of the 2nd Due Eng Officer. All of this becomes null and void if the 1st due Eng Co Operator makes his/her own connection with a short stretch of supply line that is kept on the pumper of every apparatus.

Permalink Reply by Todd Jennings on April 4, 2011 at 3:08am

We run on the first assignment 3 engines a rescue or ladder and 1 Batt Chief.  Usually our 3rd in engine will lay in.  This is so that we dont block the second due and rescue company.  We use 5in hose on all trucks.  This is put down on every fire.  We may not charge the hose but it is layed.  As far as packing it back it is the departments policy to use a flat load.