Stairwell lay

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Permalink Reply by Ricky Teter on October 16, 2009 at 6:44pm

We have many 3 or 4 story buildings in our first in area that have outside or balcony entrances, we have used our hi-rise packs and deployed over the stair rail with either 1 3/4" or 2 1/2" hose, or hoist lines up using a drop rope. We use hose chains or webbing to secure the hose, if you make sure that your hose is secured below a coupling there is no stress placed on the coupling. Stretching over the railing is quicker and easier than trying to wrap around stairwells up 3 or 4 floors and fighting the potential kinks and friction of the corners.

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Permalink Reply by Timothy Overly on October 19, 2009 at 6:22am

Support each coupling with a piece of webbing, rope or a hose strap, and you should have no problems with any vertical stretch. If you are use 50' length of hose up a 3-4 story stairwell, you should only have one coupling to support. Flake it in dry, get all excess hose above and support it at any coupling and secure it at the top.

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Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on October 20, 2009 at 6:49am

Bro
Three inch is a lot of weight. I don't have problems with the couplings as much as I would have with older constructed buildings. The banisters or the newel posts may not hold up well, if they are made of wood construction.. If you have a well h*** large enough to pass a hoseline, don't even take the time to use 3 ". You can stretch other hoselines, a primary and backup, alot faster than using the 3" and gated wyes. Your guys will need to practice this, as it is not an every day stretch.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Lasich on October 20, 2009 at 4:46pm

The problem is that the required EP for the lay is more than 250 psig. The hallway is more than 400 feet and we have a 75 psi 125 gpm nozzle. Yes, I cringe also, but that's what the leadership team wants.

Russ Chapman said:

Bro
Three inch is a lot of weight. I don't have problems with the couplings as much as I would have with older constructed buildings. The banisters or the newel posts may not hold up well, if they are made of wood construction.. If you have a well h*** large enough to pass a hoseline, don't even take the time to use 3 ". You can stretch other hoselines, a primary and backup, alot faster than using the 3" and gated wyes. Your guys will need to practice this, as it is not an every day stretch.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Lasich on October 20, 2009 at 5:27pm

Dave LeBlanc said:

Why not just use 2 1/2 instead of reducing it down? Or like the brother said, pull 2 1 3/4 lines separately. We are using a 50psi, 180gpm breakapart nozzle on our 1 3/4 lines. More flow, less pressure. Almost like lite beer.

All great ideas and I have tried to point them out. The replies are (and I'm paraphrasing), 2 and 1/2 inch lines are little supply lines (it's too much work to advance them) and smooth bores are only for CAFS. The more I ask about this, the longer my head gets held under. Breathing has become more important than winning.

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Permalink Reply by Larry Lasich on October 20, 2009 at 5:43pm

Dave LeBlanc said:

Smoothbores are only for CAFS......I have beer coming out of my nose. I am pretty sure smoothbores came first. Yes it can be difficult to advance a 2 1/2 with reduced manpower, but stretching a 3 inch line up a stairwell and then setting up the wye can't be that much easier.

It sounds like you have to work within the system you are given, like the rest of us. So if it must be three inch, then you should be all set assuming you support the couplings as described.

Larry Lasich said:

Dave LeBlanc said:

Why not just use 2 1/2 instead of reducing it down? Or like the brother said, pull 2 1 3/4 lines separately. We are using a 50psi, 180gpm breakapart nozzle on our 1 3/4 lines. More flow, less pressure. Almost like lite beer.

All great ideas and I have tried to point them out. The replies are (and I'm paraphrasing), 2 and 1/2 inch lines are little supply lines (it's too much work to advance them) and smooth bores are only for CAFS. The more I ask about this, the longer my head gets held under. Breathing has become more important than winning.

That reply came from the A shift Capt. I asked when we could put smooth stack tips on the high-rise packs and without a pause, that was the answer that he threw back at me. Directing him to Lt McCormick would have been seen as a "smart a** response" so I dropped it.

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Permalink Reply by Ricky Teter on October 20, 2009 at 5:46pm

Sounds like you are fighting an uphill battle Brother! I feel for you and wish you luck.

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Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on October 21, 2009 at 7:37am

I am a big believer that all rigs should have at least one static hosebed off the rear. A great set up is the FDNY bed of 6 lengths of 1 3/4" over 12 of 2 1/2". Now the friction loss is negated, there are no gated wyes to contend with, and the stretch is easier. No doubt, a stairwell stretch is a 2 engine company stretch, something the powers to be cannot fathom. They think eveything is done with 2 guys! I would like to meet the idiot who said 1 3/4" was a one man hoseline!

Larry Lasich said:

The problem is that the required EP for the lay is more than 250 psig. The hallway is more than 400 feet and we have a 75 psi 125 gpm nozzle. Yes, I cringe also, but that's what the leadership team wants.

Russ Chapman said:

Bro
Three inch is a lot of weight. I don't have problems with the couplings as much as I would have with older constructed buildings. The banisters or the newel posts may not hold up well, if they are made of wood construction.. If you have a well h*** large enough to pass a hoseline, don't even take the time to use 3 ". You can stretch other hoselines, a primary and backup, alot faster than using the 3" and gated wyes. Your guys will need to practice this, as it is not an every day stretch.

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Permalink Reply by Russ Chapman on October 21, 2009 at 7:39am

Bro don't waste good beer!

Dave LeBlanc said:

Smoothbores are only for CAFS......I have beer coming out of my nose. I am pretty sure smoothbores came first. Yes it can be difficult to advance a 2 1/2 with reduced manpower, but stretching a 3 inch line up a stairwell and then setting up the wye can't be that much easier.

It sounds like you have to work within the system you are given, like the rest of us. So if it must be three inch, then you should be all set assuming you support the couplings as described.

Larry Lasich said:

Dave LeBlanc said:

Why not just use 2 1/2 instead of reducing it down? Or like the brother said, pull 2 1 3/4 lines separately. We are using a 50psi, 180gpm breakapart nozzle on our 1 3/4 lines. More flow, less pressure. Almost like lite beer.

All great ideas and I have tried to point them out. The replies are (and I'm paraphrasing), 2 and 1/2 inch lines are little supply lines (it's too much work to advance them) and smooth bores are only for CAFS. The more I ask about this, the longer my head gets held under. Breathing has become more important than winning.

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