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What's your service area size and call volume and do you have any large area structures in your first due area. How do you staff your Engines. how are your Engines set up as far as pre-connect/skid load hose and smooth bore/fog nozzles.

The discussion of why my Dept. dislikes 2.5 inch came up and low manning (too hard to advance a 2.5) and empty buildings (let them burn) was the answer from on-high. I'd guess that more Departments use SS than not and that 4 men should be able to advance a 2.5, but I'd like to know if I'm wrong.

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Your are correct. 2 men are able to advance 2.5 inch, if they know how do that..

when the nozzles is open, they put their knees on the floor, making a brake at the force vector produces by reaction force of water. if you are operating a 2,5 inch hose, you don't need movility, you need high volume of water.
Our county considers 3 on an engine company "staffed". I'm currently stationed at a rural fire company with 5 paid firemen on a shift. We staff the engine or engine tanker and an ambulance. When I arrived here a year ago, the attack engine had 2, 200' 1 3/4" crosslays with fog nozzles, and a 300' section of 2" with a fog nozzle off the back. I could not believe that we had no option on the engine to move big water in a fire attack. After getting the ok from all the Lt's at the station, my shift and I removed the 2" from the rear and replaced it with 300' 2 1/2" with a smooth bore nozzle. I believe that you need to have options for whatever situation you may be faced with. I agree that 2 1/2" is harder to advance and manage than 1 3/4" but if the fireman know how to handle it and you need more gpm's there is no replacing it!
Why not just use the 1-3/4" line for a big hit line using just one fireman and get a flow of at least 250 GPM. Its great for a under staffed first in unit that needs to get a big hit on a fire. Its easy ,pump 250 psi and sit on it.
True, you can push 250 GPM out of 1 3/4" and I understand what you're saying. But you can flow 400 GPM through 2 1/2" if you want too. I'm just saying it gives you more options to have a greater selection of hose sizes on the apparatus... It is easy to crank it up to 250 PSI for the engine operator. : )

Paul Shapiro said:
Why not just use the 1-3/4" line for a big hit line using just one fireman and get a flow of at least 250 GPM. Its great for a under staffed first in unit that needs to get a big hit on a fire. Its easy ,pump 250 psi and sit on it.
My dept is 4 sq miles, we run 2 ALS/Rescue engines out of one house. We run in the neighborhood between 1400-1500 runs a year, fire and medical. Both engines are set up alike, 2-200ft 1.75 preconnects, 75ft. trashline on the bumper(1.75) A static bed with 400ft of 2.5 with 100ft of 1.5 on it sorta like a hotel pack. The 1.5 can be disconnected for a 2.5 line, we practice advancing stairs etc. In our area we have it all, 5 story high rise, 2 industrial parks, an enclosed shopping mall, you get the picture Brother. We operate 3, 7 person crews, if we are full, 1 company has 4 the other 3. Most of the time due to vacations, 3 per engine. We put our big line in service by getting where we need it, before we think about water in the line, it's a huge knock and very needed in certain situations.

Be Safe!
Jeff
Let me rephrase that. When manpower is an issue and the 2-1/2" line could present a problem to use because of that, think about getting a high flow 1-3/4" line in service just to get started. By the way their are certain types of 1-3/4" hose that can get 350 gpm on a 200' line with an 1-3/8" tip.

Adam Wiles said:
True, you can push 250 GPM out of 1 3/4" and I understand what you're saying. But you can flow 400 GPM through 2 1/2" if you want too. I'm just saying it gives you more options to have a greater selection of hose sizes on the apparatus... It is easy to crank it up to 250 PSI for the engine operator. : )

Paul Shapiro said:
Why not just use the 1-3/4" line for a big hit line using just one fireman and get a flow of at least 250 GPM. Its great for a under staffed first in unit that needs to get a big hit on a fire. Its easy ,pump 250 psi and sit on it.

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