By Dan Shaw
This drill focuses on the very important aspect of inspecting every portion of your water delivery system, specifically, checking your hoselines for delamination of the liner from the exterior jacket of the hose. Delamination can occur at any part of the hoseline and, when it does, it can twist and push up to the coupling, bunch up into a knot, or completely dislodge from the hoseline.
Click on the photo below to enlarge.
Regardless of how it presents, delamination can increase your pump pressures, decrease your firefighting flow and, ultimately, impact your ability to deliver water to the seat of the fire. Include not only checking the status of the coupling and the integrity of the washer in your daily hose inspection but also inspecting the entire length of hoseline for delamination.
Dan Shaw is vice president of Traditions Training, LLC.