Fire Streams

Section 6
 Assignment
 Prior to viewing this power point
presentation the student shall read, study,
and become familiar with Chapter 13, Fire
Streams
 Pages specifically referenced in this Basic
Firefighter presentation will be pages 487-
498 After reading and becoming familiar
with these pages, you may proceed with
the viewing of this power point
presentation.
DEFINITION OF A FIRE STREAM
 A stream of water or other
extinguishing agent after it leaves a
fire hose and nozzle until it reaches
the desired point
 HOW FIRE STREAMS WORK
 Water fire streams are used to reduce
temperatures and to permit closer proximity with
handlines through —
 Direct application to burning material
 Reduction of high atmospheric temperature
 Dispersion of hot smoke and fire gases from a
heated area
 Production of a water curtain to protect
firefighters and property from heat
 EXTINGUISHING PROPERTIES OF
WATER
 Is readily available
 Is inexpensive
 Has great heat-absorbing capacity
 Absorbs a large amount of heat when converting
to steam
 The greater its surface area, the greater the
heat absorption
– Chipped ice vs. single ice cube
– Fog stream vs. solid stream
– Steam vs. liquid
 EXTINGUISHING PROPERTIES OF
WATER
 Is unique in that it expands both upon freezing
and upon changing into its vapor state
Water in pipes subject to freezing may rupture
 Undrained automatic sprinkler piping in unheated buildings
 Wet barrel hydrants
 Shallowly buried underground pipes

Its 1700:1 expansion ratio during

vaporization allows it to absorb more
heat
PHYSICAL STATES OF WATER
WATER AS STEAM
 FRICTION LOSS
 Velocity: Rate of motion of particle in
a
a given direction; speed
Friction Loss: Pressure lost while
forcing water through pipe, fittings,
fire hose, and adapters.
Critical Velocity: Turbulence caused
when a stream is subjected to
excessive velocity
 CAUSES OF FRICTION LOSS
 Rough hose lining  Partially closed
 Damaged couplings valves/nozzles
 Sharp bends/kinks in  Wrong size gasket
hose  Excessive hose length
 Adapters  Excess flow for hose
size
 CAUSES OF PRESSURE LOSS
OTHER THAN FRICTION LOSS
 Broken hoseline
 Mechanical problem due to poor water
supply
 Error in hydraulics calculation
 Obstructions from the pump or water main
 Elevation of nozzle above pump
 GUIDELINES FOR REDUCING
FRICTION LOSS
 Check for rough linings in  Keep nozzles and valves
fire hose fully open when
 Replace damaged hose operating hoselines
couplings  Use proper size hose
 Eliminate sharp bends in gaskets for hose selected
hose when possible  Use short hoselines as
 Use adapters to make much as possible
hose connections only  Use larger hose or
when necessary multiple lines when flow
 Reduce amount of flow must be increased
 ELEVATION LOSS/GAIN
 Nozzle above  Fire Pump = Pressure
Loss

 Nozzle below  Fire Pump = Pressure

Gain
WATER HAMMER
 WATER HAMMER
 Is surge created by
suddenly stopping the
flow of water through fire
hose or pipe
 Is often heard as a
distinct clank, much like a
hammer striking pipe
 Causes a change in
direction of energy and
multiplies the energy
many times
 Can damage pumps,
hoselines, water mains,
couplings, nozzles, and
hydrants
 Can be prevented by
operating nozzle controls,
hydrants, valves, and
hose clamps slowly
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF FIRE
STREAMS
FIRE STREAM CATEGORIES
– Categorized by Size – Categorized by Rate of
Discharge
– Low-volume
– Gallons per minute (gpm)
– Handline – Liters per minute (L/min)
– Master stream (high-
volume)
– Categorized by
Characteristics
– Solid
– Fog
– Broken
 FIRE STREAMS CLASSIFIED BY
SIZE
 Low-Volume Streams
 Discharge less than 40 gpm
 Fed by booster lines
 Handline Streams
 Discharge 40 to 350 gpm
 Fed by 1½-inch to 3-inch (38 mm to 77
mm) lines
 Master Streams
 Discharge more than 350 gpm
 Fed by multiple 2½- to 3-inch lines or large-diameter
lines
 SOLID STREAM ADVANTAGES
 Maintains better visibility for firefighter
 Has greater reach
 Operates at reduced nozzle pressures per
gallon thus reducing nozzle reaction
 Has greater penetration power
 Is less likely to disturb normal thermal
layering of heat and gases during interior
structural attacks
SOLID STREAM DISADVANTAGES
 Does not allow for different stream pattern
selections
 Cannot be used for foam application
 Provides less heat absorption per gallon
delivered than broken stream
 ADVANTAGES OF FOG STREAMS
 Allow adjustment of discharge pattern to
suit situation
 May have adjustable settings to control
amount of water used
 Aid in ventilation
 Dissipate heat by exposing the maximum
water surface for heat absorption
 DISADVANTAGES OF FOG
STREAMS
 Do not have the reach or penetrating
power of solid streams
 Are more susceptible to wind currents
than are solid streams
 May contribute to fire spread, create heat
inversion, and cause steam burns to
firefighters when improperly used during
interior attacks
 BROKEN STREAMS
– Advantages
– Absorb more heat per gallon than a solid
stream
– Have greater reach and penetration than a
fog stream so often best choice for confined
spaces
 BROKEN STREAMS
– Disadvantage
– Have sufficient continuity to conduct
electricity so should not be used on Class C
fires
 FIRE STREAMS CLASSIFIED
BY STREAM CHARACTERISTICS
SOLID STREAM CHARACTERISTICS
& USES
 Is produced from  May, in some cases,
fixed orifice, be used for interior
smoothbore nozzle attack
 Has little shower or  Has good reach and
spray penetration
 Is used most often  Has a breakover point
during an exterior at which the stream
attack when a begins to lose its
powerful, long- forward velocity and
ranging, high-volume fall to the ground in a
stream is desired shower or spray
EFFECTIVE SOLID STREAM
 STRAIGHT STREAM
CHARACTERISTICS & USES
 Is produced from an adjustable fog nozzle
 Is superficially similar to solid stream in
pattern
 Is composed of water droplets and has air
entrained within it unlike solid streams
 Is used for many of the same purposes,
though will have slightly less power and
reach than similarly sized straight streams
 FOG STREAM
CHARACTERISTICS & USES
 Is composed of small – Is generally used —
droplets – For interior extinguishment
through heat absorption
 Has a high water to
– For displacement of heated
steam ratio gases
 Has a definite pattern – To provide a protective
 Is usually adjustable water curtain between fire
and firefighter or
combustible material
FOG STREAM PATTERNS
FOG STREAM PATTERN GRID
 FACTORS THAT AFFECT FOG
STREAM REACH
 Stream
 Pattern
 Gravity
 Water Velocity
 Water Droplet Friction with Air
 Wind
 BROKEN STREAM
CHARACTERISTICS & USES
 Is composed of larger droplets than fog
stream
 Does not have a definite pattern
 Is generally not adjustable
 Is used most often on fires in confined
spaces
– Belowground areas
– Attics
– Wall spaces
STANDARD FREEMAN
SOLID STREAM TIP
FOG STREAM NOZZLES
 MANUAL FOG STREAM NOZZLES
 Can change rate of
discharge by rotating the
selector ring to a specific
gpm
 Allows flow adjustments
to be made before or
after opening the nozzle
 May adjust low-volume
(handline) flow rates
from 10 gpm to 250 gpm
 May adjust high-volume
(master stream) flow
rates from 300 gpm to
2,500 gpm
 Should make all
adjustments in
increments to avoid
nozzle reaction
 AUTOMATIC (CONSTANT-
PRESSURE) FOG STREAM NOZZLES
 Automatically vary the  Allow reduction of flow
rate of flow to maintain for mobility while
effective nozzle pressure maintaining an efficient
 Can change the rate of discharge pattern
flow by opening and  Have set gallonage
closing the shutoff valve
 Have adjustable
 Allow delivery of large gallonage
quantities of water at
constant operating
pressures
 NOZZLE CONTROL VALVES BALL
VALVE
 The ball can be
 rotated 90 degrees
 by moving the
nozzle
 handle backward
to
 open it and
forward
 to close it
BALL VALVE CHARACTERISTICS
 Provides effective control with minimum
effort during fire fighting
 When used in a solid stream nozzle,
turbulence caused by a partially opened
valve may affect desired stream pattern
 NOZZLE CONTROL VALVES SLIDE
VALVE
 The
 stainless steel
 slide valve allows
 for increasing or
 decreasing water flow
 as the shutoff handle
 is moved
 This valve controls
 the flow of water
 without creating
 Turbulence
 NOZZLE CONTROL VALVES
ROTARY CONTROL VALVE
 A screw guides
 an exterior barrel
 around an interior
barrel
 This valve also
 controls the
 stream discharge
 pattern
 NOZZLE MAINTENANCE
GUIDELINES
 Check swivel gasket for damage or wear
 Replace worn or missing gaskets
 Look for external damage to the nozzle
 Look for internal damage and debris
 Check for ease of operation by physically
operating the nozzle parts
 Check to make sure that the pistol grip is
secured to the nozzle
THE END