Hose Stream Mechanics
Prop design and hands-on training toolkit for air entrainment and water distribution tactics.
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Backed by Rigorous Research
The principles of air entrainment and water mapping are fundamentals of suppression operations and have been thoroughly studied in a multitude of previous FSRI research projects – from Attic Fires to Fire Attack to the Coordinated Fireground Study.
Created with the Fire Service
Supported by highly qualified technical panel members from FSRI’s Fire Attack Study, the Hose Stream Prop and toolkit deliver unprecedented educational opportunities to advance firefighter suppression-based skills performance on the fireground.
Built for Realistic Training
FSRI’s Hose Stream Prop is an innovative and interactive training tool that visually demonstrates the impact of air entrainment and water mapping principles during suppression operations on the fireground.
Putting Research Into Practice
The idea for the innovative Hose Stream Prop was sparked when FSRI research studies began to yield thought-provoking findings around the fundamentals of hose stream mechanics – specifically air entrainment and water mapping. These concepts are the ground-level building blocks needed to understand the impact of varying suppression tactics on the fireground. From these findings, FSRI research engineers began by building a prototype training prop to visualize and interactively demonstrate these concepts.
With the help of trusted fire service partners and live training demonstrations throughout the country, FSRI research engineers designed several enhancements to optimize usability, increase the suppression concepts able to be visualized with the prop and much trial and error – leading up to the final version and current construction plans.
Training Resources
FSRI is now proud to share these plans along with instructional videos and lesson plans for fire departments to incorporate into their training protocols. Materials lists, construction plans, training videos and lesson plans – everything instructors need to build the prop and train firefighters is provided here in a comprehensive hands-on training toolkit.
BUILD YOUR OWN HOSE STREAM PROP
Download everything you need to build your own Hose Stream Prop, from materials lists and building plans to recommended builder's tips.
DOWNLOADS
- Construction plans (4.3MB pdf)
- Materials list (187KB pdf)
- Builder's tips (184KB pdf)
- Entire construction toolkit (4.5MB pdf)
Interior Suppression
Learn how to effectively distribute water and map the surfaces of a structure on the approach to – and into – various interior fire compartments.
Exterior Suppression
Find out how different stream types, application patterns, stream angles, and methods of deflection assist in game-time decision-making during exterior suppression operations.
Hydraulic Ventilation
Learn how coordinating ventilation post-suppression can quickly return the environment to tenable conditions and provide better visibility when conducting interior operations.
Attic Fire Suppression
Find out how a stream placed properly into the eave line can quickly coat the attic while limiting the ventilation to the space.
Taking the Science to the Training Ground: What Does the Fire Service Say?
Ray McCormack
Fire Lieutenant (ret.)
Fire Department of New York
“This Hose Stream Prop is a gift to the fire service born out of field experience and research. My hope is that this prop becomes part of every firefighter academy curriculum. The importance of stream placement and its effect on the fire is a ‘must learn’ for firefighters.”
Chad Christensen
Fire Captain
Los Angeles County Fire Department
“The Hose Stream Prop and training developed by FSRI is next level. We originally started with a 16' hallway made of plywood that was a valuable training tool. With the creative minds at FSRI we now have a hallway, bedroom, attic and cockloft that takes the learning and teaching ability to the next level. When students see the impact of the streams angle and how water truly flows, it really connects the dots in terms of water mapping and air entrainment. We will be building them for each of our training centers."
Curt Isakson
Battalion Chief
Escambia County, FL, Fire Rescue
“I can’t emphasize enough how phenomenal the Hose Stream Prop really is. We used it to educate over 600 firefighters on proper water application methods at the 2021 Water on the Fire Conference. Thank you to UL’s Fire Safety Research Institute for providing us with the tools and props needed to train tomorrow’s firefighters to be more efficient in suppression operations on the fireground.”
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Published: February 2, 2022
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The Science Behind Hose Stream Mechanics and Suppression Tactics
Explore these evidence-based considerations and access the related training courses with real world applications for suppression tactics on the fireground.
