r/firefighter • u/F1REM3DIC • 10d ago

Ordering Fire Hose

I work at a small full time department covering approximately 60 square miles and was just tasked with placing an order for new fire hose. I’m not sure where to begin and what to research. We use Fire Chief low pressure nozzles and plan on sticking with that. All attack lines are 200’ triple loads.

We use 1 3/4” and 2” for attack lines (200’ each) and 3” (500’) and 5” (1000’) for supply.

Our hose racks are starting to get bare, so I’ll order enough to outfit two fire engines (enough for each station to outfit one engine) minus ordering the 2000’ of 5” and 1000’ of 3”.

I think in the past we have used Key and Mercedes. And have a combination of the 2.

We’re looking for durability, maneuverability, and something that loads/lays nicely in the hose bed

Just looking for opinions and any help pointing me in the right direction. Thanks!

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u/howawsm 10d ago

Do some digging into the Freeman ratio with your current nozzle set up to help identify hose size.

Not all hoses in the same diameter are actually the same diameter. Many advertise lower FL, for example, but it’s because they are actually slightly bigger than the size you’d think.

Key hose is still a great brand.

I’d remove “lays nicely” off your list and be happily surprised if it does that by accident. Our current hose, Cobra Combat, doesn’t lay that nicely compared to like the Niedner we had before but that’s because we were solely focused on performance on the fire ground. IDGAF if it looks pretty on my engine if it’s kinking and limp on the fireground.

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u/F1REM3DIC 9d ago

I 100% agree that practicality/performance should trump how nice it looks sitting on a truck. I’ll look into the Freeman ratio, I appreciate it.

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u/Lazy-Ad8701 9d ago

Ask your local sales rep to try out different hoses that you like. Let them know that you are going to do more than flow water in a parking lot and it may get damaged. When you get it, go actually use it. Flow it static, advance it through residential width doorways while flowing and not flowing. See how it wears and if it will be durable enough for you. We use key cobra combat and Matex combat sniper for our 1.75” lines. They passed all of the above tests, but don’t pack flat. Like @howawsm said, it was on the Low end of priorities for us. We use key FDNY spec for 2.5”. It’s true diameter and has a thicker rubber liner. 3” is standard key 5” is bulldog.

Company out of Santa Maria, Ca has great products and have worked closely with fire service to design their stuff. I have considered switching when the time is right.