Pistol Grip Nozzles - Love em or Leave em?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rob Cannon on April 4, 2009 at 4:01pm

Yes we do use them and I personally don't care for them. I feel they promote incorrect nozzle control, specifically by confusing many to hold the pistol grip instead of holding the coupling near the nozzle. Holding the pistol doesn't allow proper stream applications mainly in smooth bore nozzles and especially for 2.5 smooth bore nozzles.

I do like the pistol grips for a trash line (wash down, vehicle fire, etc) and for vegitation type booster lines, which allows me put it over my shoulder and use the pistol as a handle to control the direction of the stream.

Permalink Reply by Jeff Buechel on April 11, 2009 at 11:30am

Pistol grips teach bad hose control habits. (Not only that, but if we have a good burner, if I can get the nozzle out another foot, that is another foot farther from the fire my company and I are.) ALL of our nozzles are pistol grip except for the smoothbore on the highrise pack, and the old playpipe 2 1/2 nozzles. I tell my guys not to use the pistol grip. But, some guys think they know better. The only time it is useful is at a car fire to shoot down into the engine compartment, and dry stretching the line. That is it as far as I am concerned. Luckily, we have a few new officers, and we are finally starting to teach good habits again. Next week we are doing a hose handling drill that will force guys to back off the nozzle, and let the hose do the work. It is a competetive game between a couple engine, and quint companies. If they try to manhandle the nozzle by the grip, they will lose.

Permalink Reply by Ray McCormack on April 12, 2009 at 8:11pm

We have pistol grips on our nozzles. They are not used, however.

Permalink Reply by Barry Aptt on April 14, 2009 at 8:12am

We also have pistol grips. I made sure the engine I was on didn't get nozzles with pistol grips and other members complained. I too, like others on here, feel they promote bad habits. So I don't promote them @ all

Permalink Reply by Brian Arnold on April 14, 2009 at 8:25pm

Have em' but don't use them or promote them. Someday they will fall by the wayside and take their place next to the combination fog nozzle and PPV fan. It's all coming full circle......

Permalink Reply by Jeff Clayton on May 1, 2009 at 7:49pm

Brian Arnold said:

Have em' but don't use them or promote them. Someday they will fall by the wayside and take their place next to the combination fog nozzle and PPV fan. It's all coming full circle......

I couldn't agree more, we seem to be coming full circle. When I was a younger, greener firefighter (let me say that by no means am I an old salt at this) I liked the pistol grip...then I learned more about proper line control and application. Now, I don't touch it.

Permalink Reply by Joe Weinert on May 17, 2009 at 9:07pm

On my departments we have them on our 1 3/4" nozzles and I really dont like using them. I would prefer to have them on a 2 1/2" because I have found everytime we use a 2 1/2" we only have enough people to have 2 people on the hoseline. With only 2 people on the hoseline we find it hard to hold on to because we usually arent advancing that line very much. We are standing and not usually moving the nozzle much either so I think that would be the only place I would like to see the pistol grip. On the smaller hoselines I like to have the nozzle out in front of me so I can move it easier, but I dont usually get to use the nozzle much but thats what I prefer.

Permalink Reply by Erick Mohn on May 23, 2009 at 6:31pm

We do have pistol grips on our nozzles and I am totally against them for the many reasons already stated. I just had the discussion with our training chief earlier this month at multi company training and he likes them.

Permalink Reply by Wesley Stephens on May 29, 2009 at 2:03pm

Some of our lines have them and some of our guys like them, some don't. I find them really handy for hanging the nozzle on the window seal so I don't have to bend over to pick it back up after I check for a little extension.

Permalink Reply by Fireman2094 on July 28, 2009 at 7:11am

We have them where I work, however we have several that don't. I prefer the ones without. They teach poor technique and are a snag hazard. I've even seen pistol grip nozzles that have a 12" section in front of to reduce the back pressure. This wouldnt be needed if we just taught proper nozzle technique in the first place.

Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on September 22, 2009 at 4:23pm

Bruno
Every oppertunity I have as an instructor.....I whip out a hacksaw!

Bruno Lamarre said:

I think we all agree, pistol grips promote bad nozzlemanship. We have them, I don't like them and every opportunity I have as an instructor, or just plain showing good tricks to the brothers and sisters, I explain and demonstrate the differences. Better and easier control, less work to move the stream around, and more room for error/line slippage.

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