FireNuggets, Inc
You also should be able to access and deploy
all your primary lines easily without gimmicks
or navigating too many obstacles on the
engine. A hose bed that is difficult to access or
pull from, may lead your crews to select a
different line or spot the engine differently.
Building a hose bed to simplify
stretches… In Palo Alto we now store our
high rise bundles in the top right corner (see
below). This used to be our 2.5” pre-connect
and was a difficult stretch. Considering that 2.5”
for many may already seem difficult to manage,
hose bed location and access to this line is
especially important. It now rides front and
center in our hose bed. Our 1.75” lines are also
easy to access and both size lines are loaded
identically. The female couplings are exposed
so that the lines can be further extended with
3” or 2.5”. This is especially nice if you
department uses a true reverse which places
the 1st due engine at the hydrant. If your
department is using pre-connects, consider
mimicking Oakland’s hose beds with both pre-
connects and bulk beds.
May 2017
Minuteman: shoulder loaded single column bundle
with nozzle on the bottom. Also known as attack
bundle.
Stack load: modular pattern of 50’ stacks of hose.
Nozzle Firefighter: firefighter who will start the
stretch with the bundle and ultimately operate the
nozzle.
Engineer: responsible for driving and pumping.
Heel: Second firefighter on the line during
deployment and fire attack. Can be the Captain or
FF.
Palo Alto Fire Department (CA) Hosebed
By Firefighters, For Firefighters
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